Rising stakes
by Trevor the Enchanter
Summary: Sequel to Danny in Jump City. 6 months after the battle, a mysterious force is killing members of the justice league and they call the Fentons in to investigate. Meanwhile, the other villains have decided to take action as well.
1. Chapter 1

It's time for the long-awaited sequel to "Danny in Jump City", my greatest creation… or at least the one with the most reviews. Updates for this and other stories will be infrequent for a while since I have testing at school, in addition to a research paper. Hopefully, though, this'll satisfy you for a little while. I figured I had waited long enough and decided to have at least one story on schedule. Note: the second half on my story will be my version of "The End" with the DP characters thrown in. And hopefully, I can write better battle scenes this time around; I still remember the complaints.

January 14:

It was a not-so-typical day for the Teen Titans. By that, I mean everything was quiet. There hadn't been a new super villain for weeks and the old ones they were able to handle. Jump City was relatively peaceful and quiet at last

This was where Raven was meditating, on top of the roof. Despite herself, she still had not shaken off the effects on the battle with Trigon. It took the Titans, Danny Phantom, his parents, Vlad Plasmius, and all his ghost enemies in order to stop him. And when he was controlling her, he wasn't at full power.

Danny Phantom. The thought of him brought uncomfortable feelings to Raven's mind, though she did have to admit they weren't exactly unpleasant. He turned out to be a boy even younger than herself (she was 17) and with a constant struggle with the dark side, something she could certainly relate to.

Plasmius likely haunted his mind all the time, much like Trigon did hers. Although he did not have the sheer power of Trigon, he was much more intelligent and cunning, unlike her father, who relied too much on his power, which was how he was defeated before.

"Hey, Raven, meditating again?" Robin asked as he stood behind her. He had blue eyes, brown hair, 17, and was around 5'8 (Forgive me if I get any of this wrong; I don't know all that much about teen titans) "What's on your mind?"

"Just thinking about things." Raven replied in her usual monotone voice. "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about our little surprise for Cyborg." This was one thing he was certainly not going to forget. She smirked inwardly, being careful not to betray her emotionless expression.

"So is everything prepared?" asked Robin. "Beast Boy's got all the contraptions ready. Still can't believe he was able to build that stuff. Mr. Fenton's lectures apparently got through to him."

"I can certainly agree with that. So when will he be here? The results will be… interesting, to say the least."

"Come, Cyborg, you must come with us to play volleyball!" exclaimed Starfire from a distance. She was Tameranian, and the same age as Robin and Raven. She was extremely hyper and energetic, but villains quickly learned not to underestimate her.

"All right, I'm coming!" Cyborg grumbled. "Jeez, it's 6 in the morning. Why are you so eager for me to play volleyball at this hour? I mean…"

Fireworks went off, banners were hung and Robin yelled "Surprise!" Cyborg looked completely shocked, even more so as Beast Boy flew towards and him and transformed back into a human. "You didn't think we'd forget your 18th birthday, did you, Cyborg? Figured it was about time you got out of that lab."

"You waking up early?" Cyborg replied, smirking. "Okay, now I've seen everything!"

"Please, partake in the feast of friendship!" Starfire exclaimed, putting her arms around Cyborg. Since he was mostly metal, he didn't struggle for breath, but he was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Finally, Robin intervened and she reluctantly let go.

"Beast Boy should be bringing the cake any second now." Robin told his mechanical friend. He then whispered into his ear. "Don't eat Stafire's… whatever she calls it. It has a nasty tendency to attract flies and cockroaches."

"Don't forget your birthday prank!" Beast Boy yelled, sending down huge gobs of mud and oil. Cyborg grinned and dodged them, taking it as a challenge. He jumped, rolled around, and even back-flipped, not one of Beast Boy's presents making contact.

"Please do not spoil the festivities!" Starfire insisted, flying out of the way to make sure she was not in the line of fire.

"Do you remember what happened last time you did this?" asked Robin, but it was too late. A stray shot hit Raven in the back of the head, causing her to turn around and look furiously at Beast Boy. He was not paying attention, however, as he poured a bucket of gravy over Cyborg's head and started laughing like a maniac.

"Dude, you may want to look at Raven." Cyborg interrupted. "I hope you have a very good doctor."

"I'll give you a three-second head start." She stated in an eerily calm voice. He flew off as fast as he can once he turned into a hummingbird.

"Okay, who didn't see this coming?" Robin laughed, not really inclined to help his fellow Titan. "Something like this happens about once a week."

"You sure friend Raven will not hurt friend Beast Boy?" asked Starfire.

"Don't worry, she's only trying to…" Robin began, but Raven yelled "Azerath Metrion Zinthos!", sending Beast Boy sprawling on top of the roof. He looked terrified, and backed away from Raven as quickly as he could. This, of course, meant, he slipped in the mud and fell face first, causing Cyborg and Robin to laugh hysterically.

"Man, if this was a present, it's the best one I ever had!" Cyborg laughed. "I'll cherish this moment forever!"

"Just consider this a bonus!" Robin replied, finally managing to calm himself down. Finally, the chaos subsided and they decided to have their party. Beast Boy relaxed a little as well, though he still kept one wary eye on Raven. Starfire poured something the others didn't want to know about all over her slice of cake. Cyborg greedily ate 3 pieces before finally slowing down. Robin and Raven calmly ate theirs, trying not to laugh at Beast Boy, who was currently looking at Raven almost every second, worried she would attack him again.

"I must say, you're really improved on your cooking." Robin complimented.

"Still can't believe Beast Boy was the one to teach me all of this." Raven replied, taking another bite with her fork. "Guess cooking really is one of his talents when he and Cyborg aren't fighting over meat and vegetables."

"A converter that allows my baby to run on hydrogen?" asked Cyborg joyfully. "Beast Boy, how the heck did you find this? I didn't think I'd ever find a replacement when gizmo blew up my other one!"

"I asked an old friend and he said he would be happy to give you another one." Beast Boy replied.

Starfire's gift turned out to be Tameranian cooking. The others were gesturing to him in panic, but he had too much experience to eat anything she had cooked. Robin had bought Cyborg some new video games, including Doomed III, the one he had been wanting for weeks.

"You can thank Miss Manson for that." Robin told him. "She wasn't able to come, since they've been having some ghost problems in Amity, but she heard about this party and decided to bring you something. After all, who could forget the 11-hour game marathon you and Beast Boy had?"

"Yes, it was most entertaining!" Starfire agreed.

"Sorry, Cyborg, I had to make a present for you as well." Said Terra, flying up on a rock in front of the others. She was 16, same as Beast Boy, and was a geo-kinetic. She had returned a couple weeks previous from Amity Park, helping Danny Phantom with his ghost fighting. Her skills had been amplified and her control was near perfect. "I think you'll like it. Come down and see!"

Robin jumped on Terra's rock, Raven and Starfire flew, Beast Boy turned into a falcon and Cyborg was carried by Starfire. Once they arrived at the ground, they saw a statue of Cyborg, life size and almost perfectly realistic. He was in a pose he usually made whenever they defeated an enemy.

"It took me a good part of the night to form this, but I think it was worth it." Terra stated.

"Man, this looks just like me, especially when I whoop Beast Boy's butt at video games!" Cyborg laughed, looked over his stone duplicate.

"You wish, tin-can!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "I can kick your butt anywhere, anytime."

"Let's not start something like that, especially during this occasion." Robin told them. "Anyway, our surprises aren't over yet. Titans East is getting ready for tonight. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."

"Enjoy our gifts, Cyborg." said Raven. "So what are you going to do now that you're an adult?"

"I'll be fighting crime, hanging out with my friends, and kicking Beast Boy's butt, same as I always do." Cyborg replied, chuckling. "There's only one thing I plan on doing differently, something I should have done long ago: build another kitchen so I don't have to deal with BB's tofu."

"Hey, Sam liked it!" Beast Boy exclaimed defensively.

"There's nothing you can do, is there?" asked Raven.

"No, let them enjoy themselves." Robin replied. "It's nice to know some things, at least, never change." However, it was too good to last, as Raven sensed something very powerful coming towards the city. She informed the others and they sprung into action.

"Don't worry, this thing won't pass us." Terra assuaged. Starfire ignited her star bolts, ready for anything that might come to them. They saw it from the sky, glowing green. Not many noticed it, but the Titans were one of the few.

"Wait a minute: this looks familiar." Robin stated, taking a close look.

"If I didn't know better, I'd swear that looked like…" Cyborg began and had to dodge as the object hit the ground, causing a massive uplift of earth.

"Hey, that's Green Lantern!" Beast Boy exclaimed in shock as he went to take a closer look. He was obviously in bad shape, bleeding profusely and had a number of third degree burns.

"Get him medical attention immediately!" Robin yelled.

"Who has done this to you?" asked Starfire.

"I don't know; I didn't see what he looked like." Green Lantern replied weakly. "All I know is that it's powerful… very powerful."

"Dude, can you describe anything?" asked Cyborg as Raven used her powers to levitate him.

"I remember red eyes; glowing red." Lantern stated, moaning. "And his chilling laughter… he said this was… only the beginning." After that, he lost consciousness and the Titans arrived in the medical ward. Robin ordered everybody except Raven out, so she could heal him or at least figure out what was wrong.

"There's nothing I can do for him." Raven said. "His wounds are something to do with the paranormal, but I don't think I've encountered it before. If we don't do something, he's going to die."

"How much time does he have?" asked Robin anxiously.

"A matter of hours, and that's being optimistic." Raven replied. What could possibly have done this? The wounds look a little like ectoplasm, but what ghost was powerful enough to take down a member of the justice league? But there was also something else, something she knew. _Does this mean he's coming? Does this mean the prophecy is coming true?_

_

* * *

_

"Well, we finally got our homework done." Danny Fenton told his friends. He was 15 years old and had grown stronger thanks to over a year of ghost fighting. About a year and a half ago, a lab accident transformed him into a half-ghost and he called his alter-ago Danny Phantom. As of now, he could fly at 165 miles per hour, turn intangible and invisible in the blink of an eye, possess people almost perfectly, fire energy blasts out of his hands and eyes with deadly accuracy, not to mention two different kinds of shields. That isn't adding splitting himself into two, conjuring ectoplasmic objects, and his most powerful attack, the ghostly wail. It was still tiring, but didn't exhaust him nearly as much as before.

"Jeez, why is Lancer being hard on us all of a sudden?" Tucker Foley complained. He was 15, had green eyes and black hair, was African-American, and always carried around various pieces of technology. He too had grown stronger, mainly from running around, having to chase after Danny in ghost fights, although they had declined in light of his newfound strength.

"Hey, it's better than having to do math, which you still have a "D" in." Reminded Sam Manson. She had violet eyes, black hair and was the same age as her friends. She had grown more attractive over the last several months and even had several boys asking her out.

Despite their lighthearted attitude, they still remembered the battle in Jump City. Sam and Tucker knew little, mainly because Vlad and Danny refused to say anything. What they did know is that they almost didn't win and not everything was resolved. For starters, Valerie was still Slade's apprentice, not to mention not all of Danny's foes had stopped their attack. Though Vlad agreeing to call a truce did slow them down somewhat.

Not to mention Jazz obtaining powers as well. She had some problems with control, but she was now able to run faster and conjure and energy shield to protect herself. Not as powerful as Danny's, but it was able to do the job. She was able to fight ghosts actively, instead of sitting on the sidelines. Between them and Terra, no ghost stood any chance against them.

"Danny, we have an emergency!" exclaimed Jack Fenton, barging into his room. Danny's father was a very large man, but was trying to lose weight when the last doctor visit revealed that he was at risk for diabetes. "The Titans need our help! Pack your bags, son! The Fenton family is going back to Jump City!"

Okay, I'm not too good at beginnings (or endings, for that matter) but hopefully, this'll do for a little while. So who did attack Green Lantern? Well, you'll find out eventually as things became more perilous.


	2. Investigations

As I had stated earlier, updates will not be frequent. Even so, I hope this story is as well-liked as "Danny In Jump City". Don't worry, I've gotten better at fight scenes over the past couple of months. Unfortunately, I haven't yet decided exactly how my ideas are going to be put in writing. This will develop slowly, so I hope you're willing to have patience with me. Also, my internet connection has been down for some reason.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I hope to see more of them in the future. I estimate this to be around the same length as the last one, give or take a few hundred words. I better get to the story before I really start rambling.

The plane to Jump City was eerily quiet. Danny knew something was going to happen. After all, who in the hell could have defeated Green Lantern? He made a mental list of his enemies, and wondered if it was Vlad. He was certainly powerful, but to his knowledge, had not attacked the justice league. Was that because of fear or the fact that it didn't have any part in his plans? Vlad had declared a truce and thus far, had held to it. Even so, Danny was always on the lookout for something that smelled like him.

"Well, we'll be there in around fifteen minutes." Jack declared. "Let's see, we've got the Fenton Peeler, Fenton Fisher, Spector deflector, Fenton Bazooka, Fenton quarter-staff, Fenton ghost weasel, Fenton Thermoses, 4 of them in fact. Wish we could have brought the assault vehicle."

"Yes, Jack, I think we brought everything." Maddie intervened. "We don't have enough time to use the assault vehicle and the specter speeder won't hold all of us. Besides, we've got the Fenton gliders, and last but not least, the Fenton anti-creep stick."

"Mom, why did you bring that?" Jazz protested.

"We're going to a big city and that means a lot of boys." Maddie replied. "If they try anything with you, they'll get a taste of this!"

"Talk about overprotective." Sam muttered to herself.

"Hey, give them some credit." Danny stated. "They did help us in that battle and besides, it seems to be a Fenton trait, anyway."

"Any idea where Tucker is?" Jazz wondered. There was a scream and protest that could only have come from him. They looked behind and saw an attractive girl glaring daggers at the boy. Well, at least some things were normal in their lives.

"Got to admit, I'm worried about Vlad." Jazz stated. "This could be his doing."

"V-Man would never do something like try to kill off the justice league." Jack declared with conviction.

"He's been trying to kill you, Dad." Danny reminded him. "Still, we haven't heard anything from him. Has he changed his ways or is this simply another trap?"

"He's never going to change." Maddie growled. "He simply can't accept that I'm in love with Jack and nothing is going to change that. Jack, did you remember to bring the Fenton healing ectoplasm and ghost detectors?"

"Of course I did, Baby!" Jack exclaimed, lying. True, he brought the ectoplasm, but he kind of forgot the ghost detectors. Hopefully, his wife wouldn't kill him for this.

The plane touched down and the Fentons, after getting their luggage, got off. Jack ended up having to carry most of it, since altogether it was about 150 pounds. Jazz offered, but Maddie reminded her that nobody could know about her powers. They were about a mile from Titans Tower and arrived in a matter of minutes.

"I'm glad to see you guys." Robin confessed, shaking their hands. "We've been pretty worried about this new event."

"You mentioned something about Green Lantern being gravely injured." Maddie added. "What can we do to help?"

"I'm afraid he didn't make it." Robin replied, sighing sadly. "What we have to do know is find out what this thing is and put a stop to it before he kills anybody else."

"Hey, how do you know it's a guy?" Sam protested. "It could be a female villain!"

"Perhaps, but most of them we run across are male." Robin led them inside where the other Titans were waiting. There seemed to be a somber mood about them. Danny noticed that BB and Cyborg were not playing video games as they usually did but merely sat on the couch with concerned looks on their faces.

"Well, before he died, he mentioned something about red eyes and white fangs." Raven stated in her usual voice. "That can cross out some of our candidates, but it's possible we're looking at somebody new."

"How can someone so powerful stay hidden this long?" asked Cyborg. "Slade's the only one we know with any patience to speak of, and his dispute is with us and Robin."

"That makes it much harder." stated Robin. "Titans East is out there protecting the city, giving us some time to figure this thing out. Terra is with them, so I think they can handle things."

"Yes, we must find out who killed friend Green Lantern!" Starfire exclaimed. "I am sorry I have not greeted you properly, friends, but our situation is serious and it is not the time for pleasantries."

"So you want us to wait around until he strikes again?" Sam asked. "We don't have a lot to go on, so all we can do is wait, I think."

"No, I won't accept that." Robin replied angrily. "This monster will not kill somebody else I care about. When I get my hands on that (censored), I'll wipe him out of existence!"

"Robin, calm down." Raven replied. "Anger will get us nowhere."

"Yes, she's right." Jack exclaimed. "Obviously, this thing is not to be underestimated, ghost or otherwise. We've got a powerful weapon under construction at Fentonworks, even more powerful than the battle suit. We'll get it transported here and destroy this creature!"

"Keep in mind, though, it may not be a ghost." Maddie told her husband. "There are likely other creatures that we don't know of. If it's of spectral origin, though, they'll at least have some effect."

"The first thing we should do is construct a ghost radar, something that can spot ghosts from dozens of miles." Cyborg told them.

"Yeah, it'll see them and we can go kick some butt." Beast Boy exclaimed, finally deciding to speak up. (Sorry, I sometimes forget about some characters)

"If we get the proper materials, we can build it in a matter of days." Maddie stated. "We've built something similar that tells us if ghosts are near our portal."

"So who's in charge of protecting the city while this investigation is happening?" asked Jazz.

"I'll volunteer." Danny offered. "Besides, I've gotten better at fighting ghosts; why not learn how to fight ordinary super villains?"

"You're not fighting alone, Danny." Sam replied. "Me and Tucker will be right beside you. Besides, we need to get him out of here before Raven kills him."

"I'll come with you guys." Jazz declared. "Let our parents handle this. They're the expert ghost hunters. Don't worry, between us, nobody's going to stand a chance."

"I got to admit, I almost pity the villains we're going up against." Tucker put in.

"That sounds like a good idea, but let us know if you need any help." Robin intervened. "You don't know too much about our enemies, so you'll likely be unfamiliar with their tactics."

"I've managed to beat them before." Danny shrugged. "Besides, I was able to defeat Trigon. Everyone else should be a piece of cake."

"Don't get too arrogant." Raven replied. "That's what leads you to defeat. We'll be ready to mobilize in an instant."

"Yeah, we'll bring the Fenton Gliders and kick some super villain butt!" Jack exclaimed.

"Our weapons only work against ghosts." Maddie reminded him. "We'd need to make organic equivalents in order to help them. Unfortunately, we don't have the time right now. Danny, if it becomes too dangerous, retreat back here and we'll deal with the situation."

"Mom, we can take care of ourselves." Jazz replied. "We've been doing this for a long time."

"Tucker, Sam, we suggest you stay back here." Cyborg told them. "Your resources and skills could be of great help to us. I don't think you two can handle our enemies. As we've said before, they're different from ghosts."

"So it's just me and Danny." Jazz stated to herself. "We'll do our best not to let you down." She got into her old Red Shadow costume and prepared for battle. Danny transformed into his phantom self.

With that, they left to patrol the city. They weren't out for more than a couple of minutes before they spotted trouble. There was a hostage situation in a bank, where the criminal was demanding a getaway car, and the two people he held at gunpoint were terrified.

Danny immediately sprung into action. He went invisible and flew into the bank, turning the gun intangible and taking it out of the man's grip. Once he realized this, his eyes widened with fear as Danny floated above him. He knocked the man out with a mild energy blast and gave him to the authorities.

"I'd like to see the Titans do better." Danny smirked.

"Well, I don't think any of them can go invisible and intangible." Jazz replied. "Maybe Raven can teleport inside, but that's it." They went around the city, capturing muggers, among various other criminals. There were particularly concerned about super villains, since Danny wasn't quite as confident in facing them as he appeared.

As luck would have it, one appeared. It was essentially a giant robot around 20 feet tall and roared in anger. Danny checked his memory and concluded it to be Overload. He took a cautious approach, dodging two of its electric attacks. (I've never seen this villain in action in the Teen Titan series, so roll with me here)

Danny was forced to use a shield to deflect another particular powerful shot. Jazz took advantage of its occupation and kicked it in the back of its leg, causing it to waver unsteadily. Although it at first appeared as if it would fall, Overload got back up and prepared to fight.

Going on the offensive, Danny launched ectoplasmic blasts at the machine, while Jazz provided interference. The robot was stunned by the energy, but not seriously harmed.

"Danny, we better get some back up!" Jazz exclaimed.

"No way; I can handle this thing." Danny protested, dodging its arm. He went intangible though more electric shocks and delivered a powerful uppercut. While it was trying to regain its balance, Danny followed it with a powerful stream of electric energy, sending it crashing to the ground.

But it was not going to be defeated that easily. Danny back-flipped over more electric bursts. Jazz jumped up and buried her feet into its leg. It growled in fury and grabbed her. Danny was momentarily distracted, which gave Overload the opportunity to send Danny into a nearby coffee store.

Overload growled as it tried to crush Jazz. She was unable to get free, but was at least able to gain enough room to breathe. Danny came to her rescue, sending a flying punch into the machine's face. He turned both his sister and himself intangible, managing to get a safe distance away.

"Why not just use your ghostly wail?" Jazz asked.

"I'd rather not use it unless it's absolutely necessary." Danny replied. "There could be people around that are too stupid to get out of the line of fire." He burst into the air, dodging more attacks with a side roll and charged energy in his hands. After several seconds, he released it, sending the energy sparking into Overload's chest. It didn't quite break through the titanium, but there was a great deal of smoke. Once it cleared, Danny noticed the outlines of a ghost shield.

"Must be to make sure I couldn't simply turn intangible and destroy him that way." Danny muttered to himself. He released more powerful streams of energy, causing clouds of smoke around the machine. He split himself, having his duplicate distract the creature with a few real blasts while he did the real work.

Jazz played her part well, as well. Unlike Danny, she was not a ghost, and could get through the ghost shield. She hopped onto its foot and stayed on, despite it's repeated attempts to shake her off. The Danny duplicate blasted Overload's eyes, keeping the attention on it. She punched through the metal and started pulling out all the important-looking wires. By that, I mean all of them. Soon the leg was completely non-functional.

After that, it was a simple matter to defeat the robot. Within 45 seconds, it was completely incapable of movement and authorities took it to a metahuman jail. They breathed a sigh of relief.

"We've fought worse enemies than that." Jazz said, stating the obvious.

"However, I don't think this will be the last one we face." Danny replied. "I'm sure Slade's got some major plan going and we've got to be on the lookout. Whatever's attacking the justice league, knowing my luck, I'll have to face it."

"You've already said that to me, but I understand your point." Jazz told him. "You seem to have bad luck that way, I'm afraid."

"Raven seems pretty worried, as I'm sure you've noticed. You're the smart one, after all. Maybe her father's coming back in some fashion. Jeez, can't I ever get a break? As if Slade and Plasmius wasn't bad enough…"

"At least we're not fighting alone this time around. The Titans will stand by us. Come on, we better get back before mom and dad worry about us again. Besides, this costume is getting sweaty."

Batman watched as the last of the criminals were hauled off to jail. He smiled to himself, glad of a good afternoon's work. The Joker had been up to his usual tricks. The rest of the league offered to assist him, but he was will versed with the crazy psychopath and knew how to defeat him.

He readied the Batmobile for takeoff when a figure laughed behind him. Batman sprung into action, ready for any attack that he might have to suffer. The figure was definitely not something he had seen before.

"So you're the pathetic caped crusader." It laughed. "I'm going to enjoy this."

Hopefully, the next update won't take as long. This story should be about the length of "Danny in Jump City", maybe a little longer. My internet connection is finally back, although who knows how long that will last. I've got to work on "Murder in Amity" and "Mistakes". "Digital Phantom" may be canceled in the near future.


	3. Interlude: preparing for attack

Okay, this is just a brief interlude. That said, enjoy!

Clockwork groaned every time he moved because of his injuries. Subduing Dan was extremely difficult, but he had finally managed it. He only hoped he wouldn't have to do something like that again anytime soon. However, there were much more important matters at hand.

The Observants appeared behind him, but Clockwork did not acknowledge their presence, turning into an old man. "Clockwork, you know what is about to happen!" Chided the first observant. "Trigon is breaking free from his ancient bonds! If we do not act quickly, both worlds will be in grave danger."

"You must eliminate the demon Raven before she fulfills her purpose!" Exclaimed the second observant in fear. "Even the evil Phantom is not this much of a threat!"

"Just wait until I get out of here and I'll prove you wrong." Dan laughed inside the bubble. It was even stronger than the thermos, so there would be no chance of getting out. He had been trying for the past several days without success. "This worthless prison won't hold me forever!"

Clockwork dismissed his threats with a wave of his hand. "I am well aware of what is about to happen." he declared. "That's the problem with you Observants. You merely observe and immediately jump to conclusions. If we destroyed Raven now, the portal would immediately activate and what remains of the spells put on Trigon would dissipate. In other words, you would be handing him victory on a silver platter. My method will at least give the Titans some time to prepare for his arrival. He will arrive in Jump City, where his daughter is located."

"Destroying her will eliminate the portal!" the Observants persisted.

"You two idiots know nothing." Dan told them with a laugh. "Why Clockwork keeps you two around is beyond my understanding. When I get out, I assure you, I will not make the same mistake."

"You will never escape your prison!" Exclaimed the second observant. Dan launched another massive ecto-blast to shatter the barrier, to no success.

"Your prison is even stronger than the shield surrounding Amity Park in your timeline." Clockwork explained, changing into a child. "Even if your wailing attack succeeds, you will be too badly injured to fight the security I have posted around you. But back to our main discussion!"

"Don't even think about ignoring me!" Dan laughed. "I will make good on my threats. I'll escape and when I do, my weakling self will cease to exist, as will my worthless family and the cheesehead."

"You must remember what it took to seal Trigon before!" the first observant asked. "We cannot have him break free."

"He will break free no matter what our efforts. All that matters is giving them enough time to fight him off effectively. The ghosts are prepared to fight, as they have learned of his imminent escape as well."

"How can you take this situation lightly?" the second observant cried, obviously afraid. "The only ones who were able to defeat him were the Azerath ancients and only with the help of Pariah Dark!"

"Acting rashly will not help matters." Clockwork told them, changing again into an old man. "It will only lead to defeat. I already have a plan in motion and that is final. Now would care to observe the door?"

The Observants reluctantly left, leaving Clockwork to sigh. Ignoring Dan's screams of rage, he only hoped his plan was as foolproof as he told them. He knew much, but not everything, despite what he liked to state. Seeing the future was merely seeing a possible one, at least in most cases.

"You may have fooled them, but I know better, Clockwork." Dan stated. "I can see it in your eyes that you are unsure in your plan, thinking that it could fail; it is rather amusing to see. You can't stop Trigon, can you? And you are foolish to believe that my younger self and his allies can, either. The only way to beat them is to go into his land and destroy Trigon yourself."

"Nice try, Dan." Clockwork replied, changing into his adult form. "Doing so would weaken my concentration and allow you to escape. You are not going anywhere, so I hope you enjoy your stay." With that, he left, Dan crying threats and curses behind him.

The ghost zone was unusually peaceful. Often, ghosts were either fighting each other or being put into Walker's prison. Today, however, nothing was happening.

Though such things rarely last. There was a group of demons, glowing red, rushing through the ghost zone in order to get to the human realm. The priority of most ghosts was to simply hide from the menace and prey not to be noticed. Still, there was one whose pride would not allow him to do so.

"Unauthorized attacks on fellow ghosts." Walker said. "That's against the rules. I hope you remember our plan, boys. Get in formation." His crew obeyed, along with various prisoners who made a deal with the warden. "Bullet, when will they arrive?"

"It'll be soon." Bullet stated. "Walker, are you sure this is a good idea? Remember what Trigon has done to us in the past."

"I am well aware, so keep your mouth shut!" Walker snarled. "This area of the ghost zone is my place to govern, not his. His army is going to learn what happens to those who defy my rules. Wulf, be ready for our assault. That is, unless you want to spend more time in my prison."

Wulf growled furiously, but could do nothing. They had united against a common enemy, and even the grudge against those two was set aside. He had been recaptured 2 weeks after the fight in Jump City, and if he succeeded, he would hopefully be free of Walker forever.

The demons were finally in sight, heading towards Walker and his crew. There were more than Walker had anticipated, numbering in the thousands, compared to Walker's 350. Nonetheless, he had absolutely no intentions of retreating.

"When I give the signal, fire your weapons at full power." Walker instructed. The riot police raised their weapons, some shaking so badly they could barely grip their shield. "Fire!" Green and red blasts rained the sky, striking the demons with powerful force. The ones in the front were obliterated, but they continued their charge, despite the losses.

Some of the guards and inmates were considering retreat, but Walker quickly struck those suggestions down. "We will not bow to inferior creatures!" He yelled. "Just continue to shoot!" They obliged reluctantly, returning to the fray.

The demons smashed into the riot police around a minute later, using their fangs and claws to gain leverage. The ghosts used the shields as weapons, knocking them back as best they could. The rest of the ghosts got into a circle and prepared for battle. Looking around, they realized they were outnumbered over 10 to 1, but there was no way to escape.

Walker took out a ghost gun and shot a demon in the head, ending his existence. However, guns were next to useless at this point, since there was a risk of hitting allies.

Wulf used his claws to impale two of the demons, but a third tackled him from the side. He grappled with the thing, but it was not willing to let go without a fight. Of all ghosts, Walker was the one who saved him. Instead of giving thanks, he merely growled and returned to the fight.

Most of the riot police had their shields broken and were in a state of panic. They became more careless with their shots and punches, not caring if they hit an ally or enemy. Even Walker had to admit that the odds were against them.

It seemed as if whenever one demon was destroyed, ten more would take his place. "All right, it's time to retreat." Walker reluctantly declared. "Guards, cover our escape!" They obliged, firing ectoblasts and guns at the advancing demons, afterwards flying at full speed.

Some of the faster ghosts were able to get away, one of them being Walker, but many were not so fortunate. The screams of the fallen could be heard for miles around and chilled everyone who had temporarily escaped obliteration.

The second war had begun.

Vlad Masters was currently sitting in his easy chair, worried about the reports he was hearing. The ghost zone was under attack everywhere and not many were fighting against them, valuing their afterlives. Ordinarily, this would not concern him, but considering what the invasion meant, he was more than a little concerned.

After the first reports, he had sent various messengers to explore the truth of the situation. Around half of them had not returned and many of those who did were covered in injuries. The Fright Knight alone had escaped serious harm at the hands of the enemy.

Vlad had eventually decided to shut down the Plasmius portal, at least for the time being. The demons had not reached very far beyond Trigon's realm yet, but they were making rapid. He knew his power would be able to fight off many of them, but he was not a man that took chances when it came to his safety.

Sighing, he got off his chair to check on his new creations. Hopefully, they would prove beneficial to the battle to come. He walked down to the lab and saw around a dozen tubes, a creation inside each one of them.

"Shutdown of the Plasmius Portal is completed." Fright Knight informed. "However, I decided to explore one last time, as my sword allows me to travel between the dimensions. Walker's stand seems to have failed, although resistance is still present. Last I heard, they are moving into the realm of Aragon. Might I ask what these creations are?"

"Very well, I'll let you know." Vlad stated. "14 of them are various servants I have constructed, with limited intelligence but will obey me without question. The other is a female clone of Danny Phantom, my first. Unfortunately, I have had some problems with her melting if too much energy is used, but there has been success is solving that problem, thanks to Technus. The 16th is another clone that has yet to be completed."

"Vlad, the defenses are completed, thanks to I, Technus…" Technus began but the Fright Knight punched him in the head before he could continue. "Ow!"

"Are you sure that Trigon will come?" asked Skulker. "Why do you believe that his army will attack here?"

"I am rather well-known in the ghost world for my power." Vlad replied. "Therefore, I have no doubt of it. Trigon will eliminate any threat he sees and that includes us. I have no intention of allowing him to carry out his plans. Is the escape vehicle ready?"

"I, Technus, have finally worked the bugs out of our escape vehicle!" he declared happily. "It is capable of flying 400 miles an hour and is equipped by defenses set up by…"

"Skulker, double-check it." Vlad interrupted. Skulker nodded and flew up to do so. Technus was a genius, but he had a tendency to overlook small details, some of which could be fatal. "Fright Knight, I am sure that this is nothing more than a series of raiding parties, designed to weaken our resistance. The main army has yet to come. Trigon cannot release his full force yet, but it will soon happen. I plan to attack Titans Tower and eliminate Raven so that his main portal will be sealed."

"What of phantom?" asked Fright Knight. "He has grown powerful and the Titans will not stand idle. They will fight us with everything they have."

Vlad merely smirked and pressed a red button. It lifted all the tubes save the one that held the clone-in-progress. Except for the female clone, the others were dressed in green and wore suits and ties. (think of ectoplasmic versions of Agents in the Matrix)

"You are attack titans tower and eliminate the half-demon Raven." Vlad instructed. "You will ignore Daniel and only block his attacks. As for the other Titans, kill them only if you absolutely must, as I would prefer not to make myself a prime target. As for the Fentons, you will ignore all of them except the buffoon; him you can do whatever you want with."

"Understood, sir." said the lead agent. (Just calling them that to simplify things) "When does the attack commence?"

"Final preparations are being made." Vlad replied. "Myself and Fright Knight will weaken the defenses in order to make them more vulnerable. Once that is accomplished, 10 of you will move in to attack. The others will be held back if their assistance is needed. One thing I wish to make absolutely clear: if captured, you will not mention who I am. Understood?" All of them nodded in unison.

"What is your name?" asked Fright Knight to the lead creation.

"Agent Masters, sir." it replied simply.

"So what is my job, Daddy?" Danielle asked. She was grateful dad was trying to stabilize her and though he wouldn't admit it even to himself, Vlad was rather fond of her. "I can fight now, thanks to you."

"Your ectoplasm is more stable, but will still dissolve if you use too much." Vlad explained. "I have not yet been able to find a way to stabilize it entirely. I want you to stay at the rear, near the reserve agents. I would rather avoid you getting hurt."

"You used my suggestion, Daddy?" Danielle stated happily. She had become a huge fan of the Matrix since she saw the movies and her mind was nearly always surrounded by it.

"I was wondering why you named them Agents." Fright Knight said to himself.

"Now we had better carry out our plan." Vlad said. "Our transport is already prepared, so we will be able to get to Jump city in a matter of hours. The demon prophecy will never come to pass, and that is a promise."

Okay, now things are starting to get interesting. Please review and spare my life! (hides)


	4. Vlad's Attack

Why am I not getting reviews for this story anymore? "Murder in Amity" has gotten over 10 in a couple of days, but this one has gotten 2 in 2 weeks. Is my quality slipping or something? Once I finish the previously mentioned story, I'll be able to concentrate more on this.

Okay, this is where you get to see Vlad's attack and the one who has been killing the justice league is revealed. Kind of anticlimactic, I know, but there are deadlier enemies Danny Phantom and the others have to deal with. Enjoy the chapter!

P.S. Sorry, my damn computer screen went out and I had to wait two weeks to replace it.

Robin panted as he finally finished the training exercise. It was challenging, but that was exactly what he enjoyed. The thrill of success when he achieved even higher skill. Wiping himself off with a towel, he retired to his room for a brief rest.

His communicator started making noise. Wondering what it was about, he answered it. "Robin, can you hear me?" asked Superman.

"Loud and clear, Superman." Robin replied. "What is this about?"

"I'm afraid I have some bad news." he sighed. "Batman was found dead last night and we have no leads as to who or what was responsible."

Robin was in a state of shock. How could Batman, one of the most skilled fighters in the world, be dead. It just didn't seem possible to him. Swallowing his grief, he replied: "Do we have any suspects?"

"We're investigating Lex Luthor right now. It's likely that whatever killed him killed Green Lantern as well. You need to be on maximum alert. I knew you're going through a great deal of grief, Robin, but we have to stop this thing before he kills anyone else."

Robin sighed. "Is there anything else I can do? I'd like to help with the investigation."

"Robin, grave as it is, we have it under control. Just stay with your teammates and do not stay alone for any reason. We don't know who will be next."

"Did anyone get a description?"

"Same as before: Red eyes, white fangs. It's a creature of some kind. Beyond that, we don't know much. John is currently going through the database trying to find villains who match the description. Let's face it, though: we got a long way to go before we can catch this thing."

"When we catch, it might be a good idea to destroy it so this doesn't happen again." A flare of rage erupted inside Robin and it took all his years of training not to scream. He fully intended on getting revenge, destroying whatever creature killed his father.

"We'll only do that if it is absolutely necessary. Do not let your emotions get the better of you, Robin. I know your first instinct is to hunt down whoever did this, but I ask you to stay put and inform the rest of your team. I'll let you know if we have any more information."

"Understood." Superman's face disappeared and for the first time in a long while, Robin felt like crying. Finally getting control over his emotions, he left his room to tell the others. He saw Beast boy, Cyborg, and Tucker playing video games. Starfire and Terra were talking on the table about something- he didn't know what- and Danny was discussing battle plans with Jazz and Raven.

"Guys, I've got some terrible news." Robin announced. Everyone but the three playing video games turned towards him. "Batman was found murdered last night. The justice league are investigating and they believe that this was the same creature who killed Green Lantern."

"I am so sorry, Friend Robin!" Starfire exclaimed, jumping up and giving him a hug. Despite himself, Robin could not stop a tear going down his face. Raven and Terra gave him sympathetic looks, but didn't really know what else to do. Danny and Jazz's eyes widened in shock. Cyborg turned towards Robin, wondering if he heard what he thought he did.

"Wait, Batman's been killed?" Cyborg asked. His distraction caused his character to be killed, Beast Boy cheering in triumph. Cyborg slapped him on the back of the head. "Show some sensitivity, dude! Batman's just been killed!"

"Holy crap, you're got to be kidding!" Beast Boy exclaimed. For once, even Tucker kept his mouth shut.

"Man, Robin, I don't know what to say." Danny sighed. "I never was very good at comforting people. Just talk it out with us. You don't have to go through all this alone."

"All right, whatever this is, it's deadly." Raven said, stating the obvious. "I've got a feeling I know who it is, but I can't really prove anything. Remember what I said about Trigon?"

"You saying that annoying demon could be behind this?" Terra asked. "Why the hell do you say that?"

"Yeah, I thought he was imprisoned by your people!" Beast Boy agreed.

"He's breaking free and it is only a matter of time before he is released." Raven replied. "In truth, my people would not have succeeded without the help of Pariah Dark."

"Wait, you mean the ghost king?" Danny asked in shock. "If it took him to imprison this guy, we're in for a world of trouble!"

"You know who Pariah Dark is?" Raven asked with a hint of surprise.

"He's the one who attacked Amity Park and dragged it into the ghost zone. I was only able to beat him with that ecto-skeleton and even then, Vlad had to seal him again. Well, since he's not around this time, how do we stop him?"

"We'll kick his butt just like we did last time!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"We better not act hastily." Robin cautioned. "Only Raven knows what this thing is capable of." Before he could say anything more, Sam, Jack, and Maddie ran towards them, slamming into Starfire.

"What is going on, friends?" Starfire wondered.

"There's an attack vehicle on a direct course to Titans Tower." Maddie declared. "And I'm doubting its intentions are benevolent."

"We've detected massive readings of ectoplasm." Jack added. "Whatever it is, it's powerful. We better activate the ghost defenses and unlock the weapons vault."

"Wait, you put a weapons vault in our home?" asked Terra.

"Don't blame me." Sam replied. "It was their idea."

"We couldn't let you be defenseless against ghosts!" Jack exclaimed. "We took the liberty of installing a few defenses while you kids were partying. Maybe we shouldn't have slipped V-man that Mickey…"

"Well, in any case, we better be prepared." Jazz stated. "I have a feeling I know who's behind this."

"You know, I'd like to know how to build those weapons." Cyborg said out of the blue. "Maybe once this fight is over, you can tell me how they work."

"Sure thing, Cyborg." Maddie replied. "But right now, we've got to kick some ghost butt!" They ran to get weapons, while Danny transformed into his ghost self. He flew out the building, trying to get a look at who exactly was attacking. The vehicle was in sights and the defenses activated.

The vehicle was smoking in several areas, but obviously not anything crucial as they returned fire and disabled some of anti-aircraft lasers. Danny found it a little weird they had not so much as aimed in his direction. Starfire and Raven flew into the action, determined to take the craft down. They each fired their respective energy, but it was obviously resistant to paranormal attacks and normal ones.

Several ghosts fazed out of it, some of whom the Titans swore they had seen before. Meanwhile, Raven finally hit a vulnerable area of the vehicle and it swooped down, making a crash landing. The rest of the passengers left and prepared to fight. In the center was none other the Vlad Plasmius.

"I knew he hadn't changed." Robin growled. "He's going to regret attacking us!" he charged towards him, only to be hit with an attack from the Fright Knight.

"We meet again, boy wonder." He declared. "I must admit, you are a worthy opponent. Let us see if your skills have improved." He drew his sword and swung, but Robin parried with his bo staff. "Your strength is obviously far beyond a normal human's. I wonder if it was due to genetic tampering by your guardian." Furious, Robin kicked him in the chest with both legs, knocking him back.

Vlad immediately flew toward Raven and Starfire, engaging in combat. Starfire fired a series of bolts, but Vlad dodged most of them and the others bounced harmlessly off his shield. Raven chanted and wrapped Vlad in a cocoon, but Skulker blasted her from behind, giving him a chance to break free. He grinned and sent violet eye blasts her direction, knocking her back several feet. Starfire charged at him, only to have Vlad grab her by the neck. She screamed as he delivered a shock. "I would have expected better from the Tameranian's strongest." Vlad smirked. "I confess myself disappointed."

Determined, Starfire kicked him in the gut with all her strength, Vlad losing his grip on her. This was followed by a powerful ecto-blast from Danny, who glared at Vlad with murder in his eyes. "I actually thought you were trying to redeem yourself." Danny growled. "I was an idiot for thinking that. You're going to pay for what you've done, Vlad, once and for all!"

"Look past how it may appear." Vlad replied, dodging an attack from Raven. "Believe it or not, I'm here with regards to your family's welfare. I would rather not harm you, Daniel, so don't force me." Danny split into 2, both of whom fired eye blast. Groaning in pain, Vlad duplicated into 4.

Meanwhile, Robin was on an even footing with the Fright Knight. None of his attacks could get through his armor, but he had thus far been able to avoid getting hurt. Beast Boy came to help, attacking him in Raptor form.

"It will take much more than that to penetrate my armor, boy." Fright Knight laughed, kicking him off, only to be hit by Robin's exploding disks, sending him to the ground. "This will indeed be quite a fight."

Beast Boy turned into an elephant and charged, but Fright Knight simply flew up out of his reach. He transformed again, this time into a bird, while Robin threw the last of his disks. They hit, but again failed to get through his armor. "This guy's tough, but he's got to have some kind of weakness." Robin stated determinedly.

Cyborg was firing at Vlad from the ground, while Starfire, Raven, and Danny continued their offensive. However, he was hit from behind and fell on his face. The damaged parts of their defenses in addition to the ship were being gathered and formed a battle robot at least 30 feet tall. A green glow surrounded it, along with a nasally laugh. "At last! Come to me, wonderful technology! For I, Technus, will now be invincible in my new body. I can dominate the Teen Titans and then the world! Aw, crap!" he was blasted by Cyborg's cannon. "You want to rumble, you inferior weapon?!"

"No one calls me inferior!" Cyborg exclaimed, blasting him again. "Booyah!" His eyes widened when he saw the attacks didn't so much as dent his opponent. "This may be tougher than I thought." He decided to try attacking hand-to-hand. He punched the robot several times and fired a few short-range blast. Technus may have been strong, but he was also slow and Cyborg fully intended to use that to his advantage.

Terra and Skulker were at a stalemate. Terra was able to block and dodge Skulker's attacks by using rocks as cover, but she was never able to get a hit in. He dodged or simply went intangible. She picked up more earth, blocking a series of rockets. "You cannot win, whelp!" Skulker exclaimed. "A human can do nothing against a ghost!" He was hit in the back by a small boulder, sending him off balance. More were thrown at him, to which he simply intercepted them with more weapons. "I will admit your skill is impressive, but this is far from over."

The Fentons, Tucker, and Sam were unable to put up much of a fight. They were quickly disarmed and tied up by three ghosts in shades. "Fentons and associates are restrained." the lead one said. "The demon girl is the primary target." Jazz suddenly broke free of her bonds and charged at the trio. The second one blocked all her punches and kicks while the third kicked her in the gut, sending her at least 20 meters. Groaning, she slowly got up and fired her energy, catching all three of them. To her frustration, however, they simply got up and flew towards her. "Okay, this isn't good." Jazz said to herself. "I'm going to have to use evasive maneuvers."

Skulker was making progress on his opponent. Terra had yet to be caught, but her attacks were growing more and more frantic. Also, Skulker had the edge of flight, who gave him a tremendous advantage. "This is over, whelp!" He laughed. "What? Gorilla attacking? Not again!" He was tackled by Beast Boy, until he fired one of his blasters and got away. Beast Boy transformed into a hawk and landed on the ground.

"Figured you could use some help, Terra." Beast Boy smirked. "Besides, I want a piece of the action. He transformed into a rhino and charged towards Skulker. He dodged, only to get hit by Terra. His suit was beginning to give it, as she had hit a vulnerable spot. They took the advantage and pounded him with attack after attack until his battle suit was destroyed. He quickly fled, not wanting to get destroyed by the duo.

"So what do we do now?" asked Beast Boy. "This fight isn't over yet."

"You better go help Starfire." Terra replied. "I don't think she's going to last much longer on her own. I'll go see if I can help Jazz." She and Danny were currently dueling with the 4 Vlad's, but having no luck taking him down. Raven was currently helping Robin deal with the Fright Knight while Cyborg was still blasting Technus. Jazz was already beaten, lying on the ground unconscious. The trio walked towards Raven and Robin, Terra moving to intercept them.

Danny and Starfire were having no luck against Vlad. He was forced to get rid of his duplicate so he would have enough energy. Panting, Danny knew what might be necessary to get rid of Vlad, but didn't watch to catch Starfire in it as well.

She screamed as she suffered another attack from behind. Starfire launched hand and eye beams, but the two Vlads dodged with ease and returned fire. One grabbed her from behind, while the other blasted her at will. He then punched her with all his strength, while the other let go. Starfire plummeted to the ground, where she lay still.

Enraged, Danny unleashed his ghostly wail. The 4 Vlads put up their shields, but they shattered and the duplicates were destroyed. The original Vlad was helpless before the sonic onslaught. Danny finally relented, still in his ghost form, but now weary.

Vlad was badly shaken by the attacked and groaned in pain. His clothes were burned and tattered; he was obviously not in good shape, but he wasn't out just yet. "I've still got a few more tricks up my sleeve, Daniel." Vlad declared and threw a violet energy ball that exploded, blinding Danny. He took the opportunity to dash away.

Danny growled and made to follow him, but was blasted in the stomach by another newcomer. She was a female counterpart of him, right down to the emblem. "Okay, this is like looking in mirror." Danny observed. "A weird, really creepy mirror."

"I'm not going to let you hurt Dad!" she exclaimed and barreled into him.

Vlad headed toward Raven, only to get sideswiped by Beast Boy. _Must I do everything myself? _He groaned. Beast Boy dodged the brunt of his attacks, but Vlad persisted. He knew the boy had no chance alone against him. He duplicated into two and both Vlads fired at full power. Beast Boy screamed and started falling. One of the Vlads caught him, setting him down. Now to deal with Raven.

Three of Vlad's creations flew towards Danny and Raven. The girl flew away, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire. "Ignore Phantom: Raven is the target." The leader ordered and all three flew straight for Raven. In her weakened state, she was unable to hold her ground for long. Danny tried to help her, but was thrown aside by one of them.

_I wonder why they're not going after me. _Danny thought to himself. _But they're going after Raven and I won't let them hurt her! _With the last of his energy, he unleashed his ghostly wail, taking great care not to hurt her as well. The trio were sent to the ground, but Danny ran out of energy and changed back to Fenton. Raven caught him with her magic in the nick of time and lowered him gently to the ground.

To their dismay, the trio were not destroyed and got up quickly. They were talking among themselves to decide what to do.

"Phantom's attack was more powerful than expected, Masters." said one. "Perhaps we should eliminate him as well."

"Vlad gave specific orders that he was not to be destroyed." Masters warned. "He has no more energy and will no longer pose a threat."

"Should we continue the assault on the demon girl?" the third asked. "His sonic attack has weakened us greatly."

"Yes, we will proceed." the first replied. "We outnumber her 3 to 1."

"And she has been greatly weakened as well." Masters added. "We will proceed with the attack."

"She is still only human." the first smirked.

"Arrow, Griffith, you serve as distractions." Masters ordered. "I will finish off the demon."

"There is no need." Arrow (the first) replied. "Vlad has already defeated her."

"I will restrain Phantom so he does not get in our way." Griffith replied.

Vlad grinned at Raven's fallen form. Everyone else was defeated as well. Skulker and Technus were defeated, but it was a small price to pay. "You will never fulfill the prophecy." Vlad promised. "Trigon shall never be released."

"You kill her, and you'll pay." Robin promised. Fright Knight was holding him, preventing him from making any moves to save her. "She is our friend and I will avenge her."

"What can you possibly do, boy blunder?" Vlad laughed. "Your power is nothing to mine. I grow tired of useless banter. It's time to end this."

"V-man, no!" Jack exclaimed. He and Maddie ran up to him, both pointing ecto-guns in his face.

"Why are you doing this?" Maddie demanded.

"Neither of you understand, do you?" Vlad snarled. "This girl will bring about the greatest terror we have ever known. She is prophesied to bring Trigon into this world. I have to destroy her before she becomes the portal."

"What do you mean, becomes the portal?" Robin asked, trying unsuccessfully to free himself from Fright Knight.

"Vlad, there are other ways to stop this without killing her." Maddie attempted to reason. "We can beat this thing if it appears."

"Yeah! Besides, I've improved the Fenton Family assault vehicle." Jack added.

"His power equals Pariah Dark's!" Vlad argued. "If he is released, nothing will be able to stop him! Already some of his forces are going through the ghost world, attacking everything in sight. That's nothing compared to what will happen if he breaks free!"

Maddie did something none of them expected. She held Raven's head in her arms and protected her body with her own. "If you kill her, you'll have to kill me as well." she promised. Vlad hesitated.

Everything rational inside his brain said that he had to destroy Raven, even if it killed Maddie as well. He knew the consequences if he did not. Despite this, he was not able to force himself to fire the blast. He sighed and fired the energy harmlessly into the lake. "Let them go." He ordered his servants.

"See, I knew you'd make the right decision!" Jack exclaimed. "There's still some good left in you, V-man! Now what do we do about stopping this Trigon character?"

"I'll have to prepare my defenses." Vlad replied, the girl flying to his side. "Danielle, I want you to stay here. They'll need all the help we can get."

"I don't want to leave you." Danielle protested. "Who will be around to help you?"

Vlad turned his head to her ear and whispered: "I won't be far. I don't plan on leaving the city. Besides, I'm leaving Masters, Arrow, and Griffith here in case they decide to try something." With a twirl of his cape, he vanished. Fright Knight followed as well, hoping Vlad would answer his questions.

"Okay, that was beyond weird." Danny said. "So what the heck do we do now?"

"I suppose we'll have to get used to each other." Maddie told him. "Vlad won't be happy if we attack any of them, especially the girl."

"It's Danni with an 'I'." she informed her. "Since Dad wants me to help you, I may as well. He really did have the best intentions in mind. Besides, I hope I don't have to fight this Trigon dude."

Danny sighed. This was going to take some getting used to.

"Man, what could be powerful enough to kill Green Lantern and Batman?" Flash wondered. Not many things could shake him up, but the death of two of his comrades was one of them.

"That's what we're trying to find out." Hawkgirl replied, mace in hand. They knew danger could come for them at any time.

"Still, I really don't we don't run into this thing." Wonder Woman added. "This creature has even Superman scared and I can't even remember the last time I have him frightened."

"Then you shouldn't have come in that revealing outfit." Flash joked. "That would attract anything around us."

"This isn't the time for jokes." Hawkgirl intervened before an argument could start. "We have to keep our eyes open."

"Looking for me, superheroes?" a figure laughed. All three of them gasped as the figure revealed itself. It was over 30 feet tall, pure black except for its red eyes and white fangs. He grinned evilly, waiting to attack his newest prey.

"Malchior!" Wonder Woman. "So you're the one behind this! You'll pay for what you did to Batman and Green Lantern."

"I did not destroy the mortal." Malchior replied. "That was the act of another being, but I will enjoy destroying some of this planet's most powerful metahumans."

Well, there you go. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. You'll see what happens to the justice league and in the next chapter, Trigon's plans start to truly unfold.


	5. Old and New Enemies

Okay, I've finally figured out a pattern. I'll work on this for this week, "Digital Phantom" next week, and "Mistakes" after that. Though I don't know why I keep my digimon/DP crossover, since no one seems to care about it. Think I better get to the story before I have angry rioters after me. Note: I plan on writing a sequel to "Murder in Amity" in March, or when I get two of my stories done.

"So we'd better prepare for their arrival." Maddie declared. "I have no intention of falling to those things."

"I suggest you stay out of it." Vlad warned. "They will be coming here in the thousands and will not stop until they get what they want."

"Me." Raven stated in her usual monotone voice. "Trigon needs me to get into this world."

"Obviously, we can't let something like this happen." Jazz told them, as if they didn't already know. "Raven needs to be protected at all costs!"

"But let's not shirk our present duties." Robin warned. "Criminals are still running through Jump City, although I have noticed an absence of super-villains over the past month."

"That would be nothing but bad news, meaning they could be involved with this." Danny replied. "I'll do what I can to cover for you guys, while you try to solve this problem."

"With permission, we would like to assist Phantom as well." requested Agent Masters. "Griffith, Arrow, and Myself would be powerful companions, as he will likely not be able to do this by himself."

"Of course you can help him; recruit Danielle into it as well." Vlad replied. "Keep the others here, though; we must be well-defended for when the attack will come."

"Don't worry; we brought along plenty of weapons." Jack declared. "I can't wait to try my new invention out! It's the Fenton destroyer, an upgrade of the Fenton peeler. This will be able to take down any supernatural being, no matter how powerful it is!"

"So you might want to behave, Vlad." Danny smirked. "Otherwise my finger might just slip and we'll see what it does to a half-ghost." Despite himself, Vlad was frightened. Daniel's power was growing at a rapid pace, probably capable of surpassing him in a couple of years.

"Excellent news, friends!" Starfire exclaimed, flying into the room. "Our fallen comrades will be able to make a full recovery!"

"I'm glad to hear that, Starfire." Robin replied. "What is the extent of their injuries?" Robin looked at Vlad, looking for a reaction. He made no reaction, except for maybe a hint of remorse. Perhaps he felt some remorse after all.

"Friend Beast Boy is covered with bruises with a broken rib." Starfire replied regretfully. "However, due to his quick healing rate, he should recover in a few days. Friend Terra has several cuts, and I had to clean them before I could put in ointment. She is severely drained of energy, so recover will be slow. Friend Cyborg is repairing himself in his workshop; he will be out in a few hours."

"Vlad, why did you decide to stay?" Maddie asked. "You haven't exactly proven yourself trustworthy and you said yourself you were going to leave. Why are you here?"

Vlad sighed and waited for several seconds before answering. "I can't leave you people alone to fend for yourselves." Vlad replied. "I know more about Trigon than any of you, even you, Raven. I have researched the legends for many years and learned everything I could. Trigon will likely destroy my castle, but there is nothing I cannot replace. Wait… what about my autographed football? Oh, crap."

"We have better things to worry about than your stupid football." Robin replied shortly. "Let's concentrate on how to stop Trigon."

"My football was autographed by Ray Nitsche, so it is not a stupid football!" Vlad raged. "This happens to be my prized possession."

"Forgive us if we seem less than sympathetic, Masters." Raven snarled. She wasn't quite ready to trust him yet.

"Listen, she's right." Maddie declared. "You can always get another autographed football. We have to stop Trigon." Their discussion continued, but Vlad still glared at Raven. She made another comment that infuriated him. Vlad transformed to Plasmius and blasted her in the chest. Robin immediately went into action, but he simply sidestepped and shocked him.

"Vlad, let's calm down." Jack said, trying to diffuse the situation. "We already had a fight today; we don't need another." He raised his gun, reluctantly ready to shoot his old friend. God knows he didn't want to, even after what he did, but if he had no choice. Maddie cocked her gun with much less hesitation. Jazz charged up energy in her hands, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

"We don't have time for this!" Danny exclaimed. "Solve your petty disputes later; we have a job to do and unless you want to kill each other, desist immediately!" Vlad changed back, chuckling to himself. Robin put down his bo staff, but was still on guard. Gradually, tensions were relieved.

"Is there any way we could put a ghost shield around Titans tower?" Jazz wondered. "You two are skilled scientists, so I'm quite sure you'll be able to manage it."

"Yes, we must protect friend Raven!" Starfire exclaimed. "Trigon will never get ahold of her!"

"Starfire, he will get me, one way or another." Raven sighed. "There is simply no getting out of this."

"I refuse to accept that!" Jack exclaimed. "We'll protect you, or so help me, my name isn't Jack Fenton."

"Being protected by that idiot; I almost pity you, demon." Vlad smirked. "How does it feel to be powerless, knowing that nothing can save you?" He laughed darkly.

"Will you shut up before you start another fight?" Jazz snapped. "Honestly, Masters, my brother is more mature than you are! And considering how he used to act, that says a lot." Vlad shot her a glare, but it was more embarrassment than anything else.

"You will not say such things about Friend Raven or Friend Jack!" Starfire snapped, readying a starbolt. "You are a despicable man; you hate your friend simply because of an accident! You….!" Vlad didn't understand what she had said, since she spoke in her native language. He smirked at her, clearly hoping for a fight. Starfire saw the look on his face and ceased charging her attack, though still glared at him murderously.

"Masters, just leave." Robin sighed. "All you're doing here is causing trouble and we don't need to deal with your shit just now." Vlad gave a mock salute and headed for the infirmary. Danny stopped him before he had walked 3 steps.

"Where do you think you're going?" Danny demanded.

"I'm going to heal your little friends." Vlad replied. "In the fight ahead, we are going to need every man… and woman; damn political correctness. Since I am in better shape than you, I will be the one to do it."

"You're not going there without me!" Jazz exclaimed, following. Vlad rolled his eyes and made his way there, annoyed by her stupidity.

After the main points of the discussion were over, Danny flew off where Masters, Arrow, Griffith, and Danielle were waiting for him. She smiled warmly at him. "I was wondering when you'd finally show up." Danielle declared. "It's time to make my dad proud!"

"Remember what he told you." Masters warned. "If there is significant danger to either of you, flee as quickly as you can."

"We will cover your escape." Arrow added.

"And Inform Plasmius that his children require assistance." Griffith finished.

"Okay, now that's just plain creepy." Danny groaned. "Okay, let's get this over with." He flew off, the others following. "You know, Danielle, I don't trust Vlad at all. If he puts a toe out of line, I'll fry his butt!"

"Danny, you misjudge him." Danielle replied harshly. "He's done nothing but protect us since he arrived. He cares about you, Danny, whether you want to admit it or not."

"I've spotted something." Griffith stated.

"An ordinary mugger, no challenge at all." Arrow informed.

"But we must intervene nonetheless." Masters ordered and they flew down to stop him. Danny charged up a mild energy blast, but he held the poor man at gunpoint. The mugger was over 6 feet and well muscled.

"You make a single move and I put a bullet in his brain." he warned. "You either back off or kiss his life bye-bye." Griffith moved quickly, grabbing the gun and forcing it out of his hand. Masters punched him in the chest, sending him over 10 feet. He didn't get up and Masters went to check.

"He's dead; there are no vital signs." he said simply. "This is one less criminal we'll have to deal with."

"You don't need to kill them!" Danny protested. "That makes us no better than they are!"

"It's the only way to deal with them." Arrow defended. "The justice system is worthless and put these people back on the streets." Danny sighed angrily and took to the air. He ignored any conversation attempts made by Danielle. The agents had no problem with it, since they had no real human emotions, just figments.

Over the course of an hour, they had stopped over a dozen crimes, mainly muggings with a couple of rapes. Rapists Masters killed without the slightest hesitation, but let the others live since Danny's death glare was making him a little uncomfortable, despite his agent status. He didn't want to explain a fight to Plasmius.

"Well, it seems like we've done our duty for the day." Danielle stated. "I can't wait to tell Dad about this!"

"Yeah, I'm sure he's going to care." Danny laughed. "He'll just want you to kill everyone and take over the world." Danielle glared and threw a punch, but Griffith grabbed her arm. "If you want a fight, bring it!" Tensions had risen to the point where almost everyone wanted to fight. The situation was just getting out of control.

"Let's be rational about this." Griffith told her. "We can't afford to fight in a situation like this." The rest of the patrol thankfully passed without incident, though the trio of agents had their eyes peeled. Danielle eventually apologized, which Danny accepted, not wanting to anger her more.

Clockwork looked in his device, trying to see what was coming. However, nothing concrete was revealing itself. "I only hope we can stop this thing." Clockwork stated sadly. "It is highly doubtful that we can stop Trigon's release."

"Clockwork, we must act before it is too late!" Insisted the first observant. "We have little time for action!"

"And no time for debate!" The second observant added. "We have organized a resistance to ensure that he stays sealed behind his prison! His minions are running freely through the ghost zone!"

"I agree." Clockwork conceded, turning into an old man. "We must act now before it is too late. I want to assist Danny in any way possible."

"You've finally made a smart decision for once, idiot!" Dan exclaimed with a laugh. "Give me a shot at him! I'll be able to tear apart that useless demon king!"

"Do not take us for fools!" Exclaimed the second Observant. "You will never be released, not even when our kind ceases to exist!"

"How about listening for once, morons?" Dan sneered. "I've got a suggestion for you! Instead of wasting your time strengthening the barriers, destroy that army of his! He's obviously not expecting us to fight back, so why not prove him wrong?"

"Why are you helping us?" the first Observant demanded.

"I need something to entertain myself." Dan shrugged. "Besides, I don't want to be dominated by some push-pus demon any more than you freaks."

"How many ghosts have you two managed to round up?" Clockwork asked, turning into an adult.

"Around 6500." the first Observant replied. "Many are still too afraid to fight, especially since Walker's fall. Despite how loath I am to admit it, I am slightly afraid as well."

"More like pants-pissingly terrified." Dan smirked. "You always did have a knack for leaving things out. You're not going to win, not with the pitiful army you have! I was able to destroy such a resistance by myself."

"He may have a point." Clockwork sighed. "You two were never known for bravery. The first place will take place very soon in Jump City!"

Suddenly, a figure came crashing down on Clockwork's floor. He was covered in injuries, but looked alive. His claws had obviously torn into Trigon's minions. Turning into an old man, he faced him. "Wulf, what can you tell us?" He spoke in esperanto, using English on occasion. He had improved, but was still not very skilled. Clockwork was able to understand him, though.

"So what did he say?" Observant 1 demanded.

"A second force is heading towards Amity Park." Clockwork replied. "It's at least 100,000 strong. He brings grave tidings in our world as well. They roam freely, destroying any ghost they see."

"We must kill Raven now!" Observant 2 warned.

"It won't do you any good." Dan laughed. "It's too late now, I'm sure. If I know evil dictators, he'll have an alternate plan. I may not know the ghost legends the way my cheese-head enemy does, but I had to do something between rampages."

"Am I the only one who finds this odd that we're listening to an evil version of Danny Phantom?" Observant 1 stated.

Wulf spoke again, Clockwork nodding. "He's heard rumors about a third army heading somewhere." He told him in his child form. "He knows nothing about where they are headed but this information still has some use for us. One possible target is Master's castle; many know of its location. Our furry friend here has also expressed his wish to stand by Danny. Dan, mind helping us? We'll give you a dog treat." Dan flipped him off in response.

The door burst open, revealing thousands of demons. Clockwork, the Observants, and Wulf looked at each other with fear. Despite his injuries, Wulf was ready to fight. Clockwork, now in adult form, conjured a sword. The observants flew up to the ceiling to grab other weapons.

"Finally, some real entertainment." Dan declared. "This should be an interesting show. Clockwork cut two demons in half with his sword and Wulf tore apart another one with his claws. The Observants flew down with scythes in hand. "So you two have some courage after all? Ha, I know a last stand when I see one."

The battle commenced, the 4 of them tearing into their foes. The Observants were surprisingly skilled and nimble, cutting into the demons like cheese. Clockwork deflected their attacks, occasionally using his time powers. Wulf jumped up and landed on the back of another enemy.

Dan showed his fangs, enjoying the fight. "It's such a shame I can't get involved." he sighed. "Why does Trigon use these mindless idiots, anyway? It's probably because they work cheap." A group of demons charged towards Observant 2, but he flew up at the last second and they collided with one another. "Okay, that's why I did my own work."

"So when are they getting here?" asked Jack worriedly. His son may have had super powers, but he was a father and thus afraid despite that fact. "They have to be in some trouble." He and Maddie had finished their protections around Raven, in addition to the ones the Titans already had.

"I have full confidence in Daniel's abilities." Vlad replied. "However, the trio will give their lives to protect him, since that is what I ordered. Should I really call that a life? I'll decide that at a later time."

"If you've done anything to him, you'll be sorry!" Jazz warned.

"I am looking after your family, Jasmine." Vlad told her. "I wouldn't mind a little gratitude."

"Well, let's hope we can fight them off." Sam declared. "I don't know much about Trigon except what Raven has told me. How many of his servants will he be sending?"

"His power is beyond imagination." Raven informed. "There's nothing you can do. He will get to me, one way or another." She sighed, looking at the floor.

"Hey, we'll protect you." Terra smiled. "Even if you're a heartless bitch, I'm not going to let that guy take you." She was hoping for a reaction from her, but she just lied down silently.

"Okay, this is the last thing I expected!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "Raven's not one to give up like this! She's a fighter, so why is she not in battle mode?"

"Dude, her father is trying to take over the world." Cyborg reminded him. "I don't think she'll be in a chipper mood. Well, she's never in a chipper mood, but that's not the point."

"Hey, I'm looking forward to kicking some demon butt!" Tucker exclaimed, inside the battle suit Cyborg built for him. It was 8 feet tall, with various weapons attached to it. Tucker's specialty was electronics, so this came naturally to him. "Just let them try to get to that hot girl! I mean, I'll protect one of Danny's dear friends!"

"You gave him a battle suit?" Jazz shot him an incredulous look.

"Yes, why do you ask?" Cyborg wondered.

"Uh… no reason." Jazz replied.

"In any case, we better get ready." Maddie warned. "We don't know when they'll be coming and how many. I may not like ghosts, but I'd rather face them than Trigon. At least with ghosts, we know what we're up against."

"I'm sorry you became caught up in all this." Vlad sighed. "I was saying that to Maddie, not you, Jack. You can burn yourself alive for all I care. Anyway, my army will provide us with an advantage. I have also made sure my castle's defenses were activated."

"What kind of defenses do you have?" Robin inquired.

"Well, a ghost shield, among other things." Vlad told him. He wasn't about to give away valuable information to a possible enemy. He actually had 3 lines of defenses, all of them complete with powerful weapons. Even he couldn't get past it. He had other employees besides the ones Daniel knew "I don't feel like getting into all of it."

There were sounds outside, what remained of the Titans' defense destroyed in a heartbeat. The remaining agents flew to the ground and started blasting them. Jack and Maddie ran to get their glider, while Vlad transformed into Plasmius. Jazz charged up her energy, and the Titans (save Raven) ran down the stairs to stop them. They numbered in the thousands, and more were coming.

The odds were not in their favor.

Okay, you might be mad that I didn't put the justice league in, but they'll make an appearance next chapter. Yes, this is basically a Danny Phantom crossover of "The End". Please read and review.


	6. Battle for Raven

There's going to be character death from here on, so if you can't handle it, read something else. I mean people like the Fentons and Titans, not ghosts. Anyway, I think I better get to it. I still have a couple days left for this story.

Slade was at the head of Trigon's army with a smirk on his face. His apprentice Valerie was with him, a regretful look on her face. He had to discipline her quite a bit over the past couple of weeks because of her reluctance to go through with this attack. Even so, he knew she would betray him given half a chance.

"Remember the plan, Valerie." he stated simply. "You will eliminate Danny Phantom, while this army destroys the others. Above all, we must get Raven. Understood?"

"Yes, master." Valerie sighed. She wanted nothing more than to get away from him, but that wasn't possible. It was too late to turn back now.

Vlad flew out of the tower, landing on the ground. Skulker, Technus, and Fright Knight were ready to support him. Privately, Vlad hoped Daniel wouldn't have to get involved in the fight. This would be difficult even for him.

"Finally, some worthy prey!" Skulker smirked, aiming his newfound weapons.

"How many of those suits do you have?" Fright Knight wondered, raising his sword. He had no time to say anything else as the demons jumped them. Skulker blasted them aside, while Technus used his electric staff. Vlad opted for speed and cunning, keeping his enemies off-balance.

The Titans and Fentons arrived outside, quickly getting into the action. Robin and Maddie tore through them with their staffs, working back-to-back. They were amazed at how well they worked with each other. Jack used brute strength, crushing them with the ghost gauntlets. Tucker fired the Fenton Bazooka, Sam used the Fenton peeler, and Jazz used her energy.

"I think it's time to take it up a notch." Vlad smirked, duplicating himself into 4. They cut a large hole through the ranks, conjuring swords in their hands. Technus laughed as he smacked one aside, but two more jumped him, the combatants struggling for the upper hand. Getting an opportunity, Fright Knight slashed them to pieces, careful not to hit his ally.

"I must admit, this does not seem to be going in our favor." Skulker admitted, punching away on another demon. Fright Knight nodded grimly, firing eye blasts into the crowd. "I never imagined Trigon had this many servants."

"This is only the beginning." Fright Knight warned. "He has over a thousand times what is currently assaulting us. Even if we win, it means nothing."

Vlad fired away, having the most effect on his enemies. His duplicates swung swords, the original blasting every demon that came near him. Unfortunately, it took a decent-powered blast to destroy one, but he had trained for 20 years, so it didn't matter much. However, he was hit from behind by Beast Boy in a triceratops form.

"You're supposed to hit them, you idiot!" Vlad spat. He was sorely tempted to blast him, but that would make the already unpleasant situation worse. He shielded himself from their fire, retaliating when there was a relative lull. He fired lightning, frying two demons on the spot.

The Titans fought seamlessly as a team. Starfire took to the air, blasting any demon she saw. Cyborg did likewise, covering Beast Boy. Terra fired rocks into the horde, slowing them down. Vlad grinned at the chance and launched a massive ball of energy towards them. Several in the center were destroyed, the remaining ones merely stunned.

Technus was quickly becoming overwhelmed. He was expanding his energy quickly simply trying to stay alive, and unlike the others, had to fight alone. "You will fall to the power of Technus!" Technus exclaimed, wishing he was as confident as he was trying to sound. A demon blasted him from behind, sending him on his face. He fazed through the ground before they could do anything more, reappearing 100 feet in the air.

But their luck seemed to be getting worse. The demons could fly as well, so even the Titans who could do that did not have an advantage. "Wow, I haven't had such a workout since my days as a bouncer!" Jack exclaimed, lifting a demon over his head. Robin kicked one aside that was about to ambush him.

"I'm glad to see you're enjoying this." Robin panted. "Have any idea how to take all these guys out?"

"Our weapons aren't going to destroy anything of this scale!" Jack replied, tackling two demons and punching the hell out of them. Robin fired exploding disks to give him cover, and then charged in with his bow staff. However, he knew there were at least 1000 here, probably more. It was unlikely they were going to win, and even if they turned Trigon away once, he'd keep coming.

Maddie was struck by a blast from fire, one of the demons breaking her ecto-staff. Jack ran towards her but before he could do anything, the demons were blasted away by a livid Vlad, violet energy radiating from his hands.

"Thanks, Vlad." Maddie sighed. "I owe you for that."

"I'm sure they'll be plenty of opportunities to repay it." Vlad replied. "They've destroyed two of my duplicates, but we're slowly getting the upper hand. Take a look at the battlefield." Maddie saw that he was right. Cyborg and Beast Boy were rampaging through the demons, taking out any that got in their way. Starfire and Terra were dueling with the ones in the air, so the density was slowly decreasing. There were still plenty of opponents, but not as many as when it began.

"Okay, V-man, it's time to take the fight to them!" Jack declared, raising his gloves. He was close to exhaustion, but didn't let it faze him. "Maddie, get behind me! Anything happens, just run! Robin, watch out for the kids; I don't want them caught. Vladdie, watch our backs!" With that, they charged into the fray, making their way into the center.

"What am I thinking?" Vlad sighed. He witnessed his last duplicate being destroyed before reluctantly following his old friends.

"Damn, there are more than I thought." Cyborg stated, falling briefly to his knees. "My power levels are only at 45 percent. BB, I've got an idea! Cover me while I charge up, then get far away!"

"Don't worry, Cy!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "I'll teach these guys not to mess with the Titans!" He transformed into a raptor, slashing through any demon in his way. Cyborg sighed to himself. This would completely drain him, but it was worth it if they could win. His cannon charged up and released a huge energy blast, taking out a good portion of the demon swarm.

Vlad shielded Jack and Maddie as the energy passed through their area. He struggled to hold the shield up, but it thankfully didn't buckle. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Samantha and Tucker charging towards them with the Fenton Destroyers.

Cyborg's plan wiped out a good part of them, but not to the extent he had hoped. However, there was now more hope for victory. Vlad flew up, giving Starfire and Terra badly needed assistance. Sam and Tucker fired the Fenton destroyers, to great effect. Jazz punched every demon as they came, determined to protect her parents.

Fright Knight, Technus, and Skulker were relieved to hear the explosion. "I imagine the composition of that weapon is similar to my self-destruct." Skulker analyzed. "The energy is similar, only from the human world."

"We have a job to do, Skulker." Fright Knight exclaimed. "You can lecture about technology at another time."

"Yes, it is time to kick some booty!" Technus laughed, charging forward despite his exhaustion. The demons in the air were now destroyed, but it had taken its toll on all of them. However, Vlad duplicated himself again, despite the draining effect, and cut off a group of demons from the rest. Quick to take advantage, the other ghosts pounced on them, furious that they would invade the ghost world. (Fright Knight discovered this before this story began)

After around an hour's time, most of the demons were destroyed, with Jack and Maddie taking out any that remained. "That was one of our most intense attacks." Robin was forced to admit. "Still, it looks like we forced Trigon away this time."

"I must have more power than I thought." Cyborg smiled. "It seems those upgrades I built are paying off."

"Let's not get cocky just yet." Terra warned. "There could be more out there."

"But friend Raven is safe and that is all that matters!" Starfire exclaimed in her usual voice. Jack and Maddie ran up to them, both about to collapse.

"Well, at least Danny wasn't involved in this." Jack smiled, despite the sweat covering his face.

"Don't count the whelp out." Skulker replied, trying to repair his suit, which had sustained numerous burns. "I'm sure this battle attracted his attention."

"We have no hope." Fright Knight sighed. "This is only a tiny fraction of his power. He will get Raven, one way or another."

"Dude, will you stop being such a pessimist!" Beast Boy complained. "We beat everything Trigon sent towards us and we're still here."

"He does have a point, boy." Vlad stated, floating above them. He had long since recalled his duplicates. "Trigon possesses more power than you know. I've done a great deal of research on him, if you recall. He rivals even Pariah Dark."

"I'm going to get the gliders." Jack stated calmly. "I've been saving them for an emergency."

"You don't call that an emergency?" Vlad yelled in shock. "How stupid can you possibly become?!"

While they were arguing, more demons appeared, probably even a bigger host than the last. The Titans and Fentons looked at each other nervously. Out of all of them, Vlad, Fright Knight, and Terra were the only ones with a decent amount of energy left.

"We could use Daniel assistance right now." Vlad sighed, charging up energy blasts. Jazz did likewise, and the remaining warriors raised their weapons.

"So it was Malchior that attacked Green Lantern and Batman?" Superman inquired, wanting to make sure he knew what they had said. He felt some grief due to Hawkgirl's death, but would have to deal with it at a later time. "Do you have any idea what his motivation is?"

"Actually, he only attacked Green Lantern." Flash corrected, his suit badly damaged from burns and cuts. "The Bat was killed by a guy named Dan, whoever that is. Obviously, we'll have to work together in order to beat this thing."

"I never thought this would happen." Wonder Woman sighed. She was in just as bad shape as Flash, maybe even worse. "I knew the risks when I joined the Justice League, but seeing it happen for myself…"

"Their deaths will not be in vain." Superman promised. "Malchior will be brought to justice."

"How did he get out, anyway?" Flash wondered.

"We can answer that later." Supergirl replied in her typical determined demeanor. "Right now, we've got to stop him before he kills anybody else!"

"I'm afraid it's not the only problem we have." Martian Manhunter sighed, floating into the room. "There's been heavy activity in Jump City. The Teen Titans are undoubtedly in the middle of it. Also, there is a great force heading towards Amity Park. E.T.A. 4 hours."

"You mean the ghost capital?" asked Superman. "I'm well aware of their situation, but I was told the local ghost hunters were keeping it under control."

"Something terrible is about to happen." Wonder Woman sighed. "This is exactly what I was warned of."

"What do you mean?" Manhunter asked in confusion. "Your kind cannot tell the future, so how did you learn this?"

"That would be because of me." stated a voice. The Justice League was only slightly surprised, as they were used to beings appearing suddenly behind them. It was an old man with a scar over his left eye and a staff in his right hand. "I am Clockwork, master of time. You are the Justice League. I cannot stay long, so I must be brief."

"So it's finally beginning to happen?" Wonder Woman asked.

"Yes, I'm afraid so." Clockwork sighed, turning into a child. "I did everything I could to stop it, but my efforts were futile. Raven will indeed become the portal."

"Okay, what the heck is going on?" Flash demanded, wondering what he was talking about. "You mean Raven, as in the one we rejected because of her evil? I should have known she would do something like this."

"It is not of her free will." Clockwork refuted, turning into an adult. "She has fought against her destiny, but failed. Even one known as Plasmius attempted to do so by destroying her, not realizing that such an act would create the portal immediately."

"So what do we do?" J'onn (Martian Manhunter) asked. "Our burdens are growing heavy, and with part of our team already destroyed…"

"I'm well aware of your situation." Clockwork cut him off, waving his staff in their direction. It showed Dan in his prison, slowly breaking through the shield. "This is the creature that destroyed Batman. He is from an alternate timeline, and a dark future. He is trapped for the moment, but even my power cannot permanently incarcerate him. But my ward will be ready when the time comes."

"So what can we do to stop this?" Wonder Woman asked. "The Titans are in the middle of it right now!"

"We have under control for the moment." Clockwork replied with a smug grin, turning into a child. "The ghost world is fighting to keep his armies from being released. Your mission is to protect Amity Park. They are completely ignorant of what is about to happen. You must hurry if you wish to get there in time." He disappeared, swinging his staff.

"That was strange." Superman mused. "Are you sure we can trust him?"

"I sensed no falsehoods from him." J'onn replied. "We must act before it is too late. Make sure the station's defenses are at full power."

"We've got to help Danny before it's too late!" Danielle exclaimed, looking at the red cloud above Titans Tower.

"Let's not be hasty." Arrow cautioned. "For all we know, this could be a trap designed for us."

"He may be right." agreed Danny. "We've got to take them by surprise. However, we don't know what is going on, and how much danger our friends and Vlad are in."

"What do you propose, Phantom?" Masters asked. "Based on the energy levels around the tower, their forces are seriously outmatched."

"We'll defend you to the end." Griffith reassured. "Our creator has trained us well."

"I guess we can simply fly there, but be on your guard." Danny sighed. "It's time for a little invisibility." Danny turned invisible, the others following suit. They arrived within a few minutes, thanks to Danielle's speed. It was around as bad as they had imagined. The Titans were exhausted, but fought on determinedly.

Robin and Vlad were working together attacking Slade. Valerie was kept busy by Jazz and Fright Knight. Technus was out of the action, in addition to Starfire. The Fentons were blasting and punching every demon they came across. Despite their brave efforts, they weren't going to last much longer.

Danny flew into action, tearing demons apart with his lightning. The agents separated, Masters looking over Danielle, while the other two joined Danny. "So where are the others?" Danny wondered, putting up a shield. "I thought there were more of you."

"There are, but our creator thought it worse not to reveal them to the enemy." Arrow replied.

"They are to go into action only if our deaths are imminent." Griffith added. "We're outnumbered at least 1000 to 1. I highly suggest retreat."

"We must obey the creator." Arrow insisted. Danny cut them off with a ghostly wail, which tore through the demons like nothing. It cleared out a diameter of at least 20 meters. The damage to their forces was considerable, but far from complete.

"At least that doesn't drain all my energy anymore, although it's still tiring." Danny admitted, panting. "Come on, we've got to go help them." Danny flew up, tackling Valerie into the ground.

"I knew you'd arrive, ghost." Valerie snarled, fire erupting from her palms. "You'll pay for what you've done! My father will be avenged!"

"You're the one that's going to pay!" Fright Knight snarled angrily. "You're helping Trigon dominate both our worlds!"

"You've just made that thing up." Valerie denied. "I may not like working for Slade, but it's worth it if I can finally destroy you, Phantom!" She launched a burst of blue flame, forcing Danny to crouch. Green eyes flashed with hatred as he punched her in the jaw. He followed with ecto-blasts, spinning her around. Finally, he buried his feet into her gut, sending her into the ground.

Valerie slowly got up, trying to strike back, but she had used too much of her energy fighting Jazz and Fright Knight. "Wow, where did you get that kind of power?" Jazz asked, impressed.

"You are the son Vlad has always wanted!" Fright Knight declared with a similar tone of voice. "He will be proud of you! Now it's time to finish her off."

"Yes, before she recovers enough to attack again." Arrow added.

"No, I won't kill her." Danny decided immediately, blasting another demon. "She's misguided and hurt, not evil. She'll come to her senses eventually. Until then…" he fired an ecto-blast at Valerie, just enough to knock her out.

Meanwhile, Robin and Vlad were slowly getting the advantage over Slade. Unfortunately, they were tiring, Robin especially. "Do you have any ideas?" Robin demanded, dodging yet another fire blast from Slade. "We won't last much longer!"

"Yes, I'm well aware of that." Vlad snapped. "I, however, am more powerful, and able to defeat this monster." He fired an ecto-blast, which Slade dodged by back-flipping. Little did he know this was exactly what he was hoping for. Vlad's duplicates blasted him from behind, causing him to convulse in pain. The original grabbed Slade by the neck and started beating the hell out of him. When he was satisfied, he threw him down, glaring at his old enemy with hatred.

A scream interrupted him, however. Maddie was on the ground, crawling away from a demon attempting to finish her off. Sam, Tucker, and Jack were trying to help, but they would not get there in time. Vlad flew off, leaving his duplicates, but deep down, knew even he would not be fast enough. His eyes began to tear at the thought of losing Maddie.

"ENOUGH!"

Okay, that's the 6th chapter for you. I'm close to halfway done with this story. Originally, I was going to make the chapter longer, but figured my reviewers had waited long enough. You know the drill. Review!


	7. Rescue

Okay, chapter 7 of "Rising Stakes" in here. Now that one of my stories is finished, I can concentrate more on this one. Just enjoy the chapter!

Everyone looked at where the voice was coming from. Danny, Starfire, everyone was surprised. The only one who wasn't in a state of shock was Vlad and that was only because he was busy struggling with Slade. Slade took the momentary distraction to kick Vlad across the jaw.

"I'll go with you." Raven sighed. "Just leave my friends alone."

"Agreed." Slade replied, laughing darkly. Danny made a move to stop her, but Vlad grabbed his leg.

"This is not the time, little badger." He warned. "They would be expecting that, and you do not have the power to handle Slade. I hope all of you are prepared." The demons disappeared as quickly as they came, the Titans still not sure whether or not it was a trap.

"So what do we do now?" Cyborg asked. "You're right; we're in no shape for a battle."

"I'm not about to give up." Robin insisted. "Raven wouldn't leave us in his hands, and I'm not about to do that to her."

"I admire your courage, but we have to go in there with a plan." Vlad told them. "It will likely be well-guarded. Any suggestions?"

"Me and Maddie can go in there as a distraction." Jack replied. "While the demons are concentrating on us, the rest of you can go in and rescue Raven. V-man, you can handle Slade, so that's your job."

"You're not fighting by yourselves!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "Those demons will finish you! Me and Cy will give you some backup."

"How about the agents?" Danielle asked. "They're powerful, strong, loyal, and just what they need for protection."

"I like that idea, friends!" Starfire exclaimed, but without her usual happiness. "Robin and myself will pull friend Raven out of Trigon's clutches."

"We don't know what he's capable of, so be prepared for surprises." Danny warned. "Forget it; I'll go with you. I'm not about to let anyone go into danger."

"I'll take care of Slade." Vlad summarized. "Jack, Maddie, take the agents with you; you'll need them. Daniel, Starfire, and Robin will get Raven out while the rest of us will keep them busy. Danielle, are you still able to fight?"

"I feel a little weak, but I think I can do it." Danielle admitted.

"You're taking a little girl?" Robin demanded. "What kind of parent are you, Masters? This is no place for her!"

"Stop acting on your emotions, boy." Vlad snapped in reply. "Trigon already knows she exists, so if we leave her alone, she'll only be in more danger! The best place is with us. However, he does have a valid point, Danielle. If I tell you to flee and save yourself, do it. Understand?" She nodded reluctantly. "Unfortunately, none of the other ghosts save Fright Knight are still capable of fighting. It will take another couple of hours for Skulker to retrieve another suit; time we don't have."

"Then why are we wasting time talking?' Maddie demanded. "Let's go and rescue her! We've still got plenty of ammunition left."

"You know, this is kind of creepy." Jack admitted, seeing two agents behind them. He was sorely tempted to blast them, but refrained from doing so, as they were allies, at least for the time being. "Jazzy, you're in the Fenton RV! Anything happens, it's up to you to get us out of there."

"I can fight as well as any of you!" Jazz exclaimed. Sam and Tucker murmured their agreement.

"You guys are tired enough as it is, which can easily be fatal." Danny informed them. "You guys stay inside the Fenton RV and cover my parents."

"I see you're learning how to think tactically, Daniel." Vlad smirked, impressed. "You're more like me than even I thought."

"Enough, Vlad." Robin snapped. "We'll deal with you after we rescue Raven."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You're telling me Malchior was responsible for this?" Superman asked Wonder Woman, the only survivor of their battle.

"Yes, he's the one who killed Green Lantern, Batman, and the rest." Wonder woman replied. "I finally managed to destroy him, but not before Flash and Hawkgirl were killed as well." She bowed her head in grief. Being part of the justice league, she was used to seeing death, but watching her friends die was a whole different matter.

"I feel this is only the beginning." said Jo'nn. (Not sure how to spell his name, so bear with me) "I've had visions of another creature, whom I think is from another timeline."

"What do you see of him?" Superman asked. He knew better than to take his comrade lightly.

"He is the most evil being of his timeline." Jo'nn explained. "His trademark is the sonic attack he used to finally destroy his hometown. The only thing I've heard him say is 'your time is up, Danny. It's been up for 10 years.'"

"Danny?" Wonder woman asked. "Could that mean this thing is Danny Phantom?'

"I have speculated as to whether or not he is a hero, since he has committed a fair share of crimes." Superman added. "Still, I didn't see him as any more than a local threat. If you're having visions of this, it means we underestimated him."

"That's what I thought at first." Jo'nn told them. "Similar as they may be, they are different. This creature is far more powerful than Danny Phantom. He has the capability to raze a city to the ground in a very short time. If I had to guess, this thing seems to be an alternate version of himself, if the emblem is any indication."

"If he changed his future, how can this thing still exist?" Superman asked.

"We understand very little of time travel." Wonder Woman refuted. "Perhaps he found a way to still exist, or… perhaps alternate timelines exist as well as alternate realities."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Throughout the ghost zone, an army of Observants had assembled to combat the new threat. With them were Clockwork and Frostbite, ready to defend the ghost zone. Ember flew alongside them, receiving immense power from the Observants saying her name. Even Vortex was ready to fight, since he was offered a full pardon if he agreed to help him.

"We'll show this demon we don't tolerate bullies!" Poindexter declared on top of Dora. "Trigon will not get past us!"

"Do not be overconfident." Clockwork warned, now in the shape of a child. "Trigon has power you can not even imagine."

"Well, I'd like to see him try to stand to my (breath) greatness." Vortex exclaimed, fingers crackling in anticipation. "I should thank you, time master! You (breath) fought for my freedom when the others were content to keep me in prison."

"Yes, but there are conditions, if you recall." Clockwork warned, now in his adult form. "You cannot conjure anything harmful to humans. I freed you to help them."

"Are you sure this is a wise idea?" Frostbite asked, not at all happy with his decision.

"No, but we have little choice." Clockwork sighed. "Trigon has to be stopped, and between them, Vortex is the lesser evil. Now they will be coming out at any time, so we must be prepared."

His words soon rang true. A huge army of demons headed towards them. Many of the ghosts either wanted to flee or rush to confront them, but Clockwork kept them under control. Frostbite and his people stood with him at the front of the line, weapons ready. Behind them were the Observants and their allies, looking nervous, but knowing this had to be done.

In a matter of minutes, the front demons were close enough for attack. Clockwork gave the signal and everyone launched their weapons. Ecto blasts, arrows, spears, everything you could think of was being launched towards them.

Hundreds of demons were taken down, but more were coming to take their place. Several headed towards Clockwork, only to be frozen by Klemper. Following that was a blast from Ember's guitar, finishing them. Clockwork cut two in half with his scythe, but for every demon destroyed, it seemed that 10 took their place.

The most valuable addition to the fight, ironically, was vortex. He launched a huge electric burst, frying every demon within 30 feet of himself. Vortex launched similar blasts all over the battlefield, happy to finally use his powers after being imprisoned for years. His power impressed even Clockwork, but he saw how the battle was going.

"Shadow, attack!" Johnny 13 ordered, sending his shadow towards the enemy. It tore apart two of the demons, but others got a grip on his motorcycle, sending him off course. Fortunately for him, Poindexter was there and blasted them away. Dora fried several more that were coming, destroying them immediately.

"Oh, please, sister, is that all you can do?" Aragon laughed, launching himself at the creatures. "Fools! You dare to attack the ghost zone? You will feel my wrath!" He swung his tail, sending the demons sprawling. Dora covered him, launching fire at whatever enemies were trying to sneak up on her brother. She may have hated him, but they were in this together, and it was a matter of survival.

"So Trigon has truly come." one of the Observants sighed, dodging attacks from his forces. His sliced of the heads of two, only to be taken down himself. The demons had sustained heavy losses, but the ghosts were taking casualties of their own. Spectra and Bertrand was surrounded and destroyed and even Clockwork was showing signs of strain.

"So what do we do?" Frostbite asked in worry. "I don't think we can win this fight."

"I have a backup plan." Clockwork smirked in his elderly form. He launched a huge blast, taking out several demons that were harassing Dora and Aragon. "These creatures may be weak, but they outnumber us badly. In life, I was an expert at guerilla warfare. There is a good reason why I have not deployed our full power. They are many more ghosts than most realize in America; these are only the fighters in the third quadrant."

"My soldiers are falling too and they are among the most well-trained in the ghost world." Frostbite declared. "We have even survived assaults from Plasmius. We have to win, or else my land will be very vulnerable to attack. By the way, you can explain that to me later."

To everyone's surprise, dozens of demons were blasted back, some of them destroyed. Youngblood had arrived with his crew, ready for battle. "All hands on deck!" he ordered. "Fire at will!" The ghost pirates launched a second round, destroying more of the demons.

Johnny and Kitty flew beside them, wanting some protection. They were not the strongest of ghosts and were quickly tiring. "Activate ghost shield!" Youngblood told his crew, and it went up. The guns, however, were outside it. More demons went down, but Youngblood had made the mistake of attracting attention.

Vortex, meanwhile, was frying any demon he saw. While his powers were greater in the human world, they were still considerable in the ghost zone. Frostbite's men followed him, wanting to take the offensive. "What are they doing?" Frostbite exclaimed. "They're flying right into a trap!"

"There's nothing we can do." Clockwork sighed. "Any rescue attempt will simply put more of us in danger." He turned into a child and dodged more attacks, deflecting the ones he was unable to avoid. Frostbite launched snowballs, freezing two in their path, which left them easy prey for Ember.

Before they fully realized what happened, though, the demons surrounded them. They were outnumbered at least 10 to 1, maybe more. _There has to be at least 200,000. _Clockwork thought. _There's no way we can win this fight. We have to get out of here. _Turning into a child, he shouted: "Retreat! This fight is done!"

"Never! They will feel the power of (breath) Vortex!" Vortex exclaimed, frying more demons as he said that. Youngblood was unwilling to retreat. The enemy could not get past their ghost shield, and they were slaughtering them by the bushel.

"He's right!" Frostbite agreed. "We have to get out of here!" They finally saw the wisdom in his words and gradually fled, but the demons gave chase, intending to add them to the slaughter. Vortex fried the ones who came too close and Frostbite's forces covered the others' retreat, despite knowing the danger to themselves.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Vlad and Danny flew in first, ready to warn the others if there were any of Trigon's demons around. Since the coast appeared to be clear, they waved the others in. Nobody said anything; they all know what the stakes were if they failed.

Jack and Maddie brought up the rear, weapons at the ready. They constantly heard noises, which caused them to jump frequently, but nothing came out after them. Their journey continued, moving slowly to their destination. The agents looked around as well, charging up energy blasts for both defense and sight purposes. Danielle flew next to Vlad, hoping he wouldn't overextend himself. She was even more exhausted than he was, but it would not deter her. Fright Knight, to both his and Danny's consternation, was assigned by Vlad to protect him. They avoided each other's gases, but they had little to say in any case.

The Titans looked around for threats as well. Starfire flew in front of her teammates, her hands glowing. Cyborg's cannon was prepped as well, and Robin had a death grip on his bo staff. Beast Boy was in his human form, but was ready to transform at a moment's notice. Skulker, now in a new suit, floated above Starfire, but did not say anything for fear of angering her. To everyone's surprise, even Technus was silent.

Finally, Vlad broke the silence. "All right, they are likely leading us into a trap, so be careful." He warned. "It's not a coincidence that we haven't been attacked since we arrived. They have to know we're here."

They reached the center room, where thousands of demons stood around Raven. She walked sadly to the stone monument, wanting to be almost anywhere else. "Come on, we've got to rescue her!" Daniel insisted.

"We can't go shooting blind, Daniel." Vlad replied, grabbing his arm. "We have to wait until we are in a more advantageous position. Right now, we could be easily destroyed. When I give the signal, fire your ghostly wail."

Danny reluctantly nodded and they went inside the room, one after the other. They wanted to start blasting as well, but heeded Vlad's wisdom. Fortunately for them, Trigon's minions were very stupid. Once the last agent got through the tunnel, they stood in a row behind the demons. Raven caught their eye, but gave no sign of it.

"We only have one chance." Fright Knight whispered. "If you aren't sure of your shot, do not do it." Danny nodded, and waited until he was in the perfect position. After several seconds, he arrived at the largest crowd of demons and fired his ghostly wail. Many were destroyed and those that were not in the direct blast were pushed back.

At once, everyone went into action. Jack and Maddie fought as a team, Maddie blasting demon after demon while Jack fought at close-quarters with the ghost gauntlets. Jazz fired the weapons from the RV, thanking whoever was listening that they worked against any sort of paranormal creature. The agents stayed back, blasting whoever was in range. 2 of them stood by Jack and Maddie, another looking after Jazz, while the rest went into the fray, ripping apart whatever they could get their hands on.

Danny, Vlad, Fright Knight, Technus and Skulker flew around the battlefields, launching attacks to confuse the enemy. Some demons took to the air, but were vaporized by Vlad before they got within 20 feet of them. "All right, you know our objective: retrieve Raven at all costs." Vlad instructed. "Afterwards, get out of here as quick as you can. This is a rescue mission, not a battle."

Danny swooped down, blowing apart every demon he saw. Fright Knight followed, wanting to make sure the boy didn't get himself into something too dangerous. Skulker and Technus covered Vlad while he flew to grab Raven, but he flew headfirst into a black shield.

The Titans were ripping through the demons, right in the thick of them. Vlad growled to himself, marveling at their stupidity. "Are they trying to get themselves killed?" he asked himself. "They should know better than to allow themselves to be surrounded by enemies." Before he could do anything, though, he was sent to the ground by a roundhouse kick to the face.

"I knew you'd come here." Slade said in his usual voice. "You're rather predictable, Plasmius." Vlad recovered and duplicated himself, despite how strenuous it was. The 4 blasted Slade from all sides, sending him to the ground. Thanks to his increased powers, though, he was able to endure it and strike back.

"Raven, no!" Danny exclaimed, trying to break through the shield. Jack, Maddie, and Jazz were trying to do the same thing. Tucker and Sam simply sat in the RV, angry that Danny had decided to tie them up and gag them. Vlad heard his cry of agony and blasted the shield was all his might, Fright Knight and Technus following suit. (Skulker had decided to use his weapons on the enemy instead)

But it was useless. Vlad, Fright Knight, Technus, Cyborg, Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, the Fentons, Danielle… none of them could break through it. Even the ghostly wail could not penetrate the darkness, even though Danny launched it until he was out of energy. He fell to the ground, exhausted and crying. Vlad put an arm around his shoulders in a meager effort to comfort him. He cried into his chest, not registering that it was his arch-enemy.

Raven finally reached the top of the stairs, ready to accept her destiny. With the last of her strength, she gave her energy to the Titans and Fentons, knowing it was up to them now. Slade was alongside Raven, bowing down before Trigon. "You now have the portal." Slade stated. "Now fulfill your side of the bargain."

"No." Trigon laughed. Only his eyes could be seen, but his voice was like thunder. "I see no reason to give you want you want, servant." Enraged, Slade sent all his energy at Trigon, but it had no effect. He actually laughed at the villain's efforts. "Fool. I gave you these powers and I can take them away." Slade screamed as his powers were ripped from him. "In return for your service, I will let you live."

"We've got to get out of here and form another plan!" Vlad exclaimed, trying to convince the hotheaded Titans with little success.

"No, I'm not leaving!" Robin shouted. "You may be a backstabbing son of a bitch, Masters, but we do not leave our friends behind!"

"We have no choice!" Vlad snapped back, equally as angry. "There's no way to get her right now! We can't beat Trigon in this state!"

"I'm afraid he's right, Robin." Maddie sighed. "We have to leave for now. But we'll get her back, I promise you." the Titans refused to leave, and were forced out by the agents. The others reluctantly left, vowing to defeat Trigon.

"We'll get you out of this, Raven." Jack promised. "And Trigon will regret ever messing with the Fentons!"

Okay, now we reach the best of the action. There's maybe 4 more chapters after this, and you'll see the affect this has on the ghost zone as well. This story will be a little longer than "Danny in Jump City", maybe pushing 40,000 words. Not to mention I've finally learned my lesson about writing too many stories at once. I think you've seen what happens because of it.

Yeah, I say that now, but I should focus on this story, writing a little on "Internal darkness". Fortunately, all that scholarship crap is over with.


	8. Plans and more plans

"Well, that didn't go as well as I hoped." Clockwork sighed, feeling older than ever. Things were rapidly getting out of hand. Trigon had finally escaped his prison and the ghost zone was under siege. He dearly wished he could help Danny in Jump City, but he would have to fight this battle on his own.

"Any more ideas, Clockwork?" one of the Observants demanded. "It won't be long before Trigon destroys us all! True, he is badly weakened from his journey, but that will not last long."

"I admit, for once in my life, I find myself at a bit of a loss." Clockwork replied, still in the form of an old man. He was curious as to why he did not shift forms, but they had other things to worry about at the moment.

"But we cannot simply give up." Frostbite insisted. "If we can overthrow Pariah Dark, we're perfectly capable of withstanding Trigon's attacks.

"At least with Pariah, we knew what we were dealing with." one of Frostbite's soldiers sighed. "Trigon is completely off the map. I believe I advised you to destroy the portal so this would not happen."

"Plasmius had already attempted such a maneuver, and without success." Clockwork refuted.

"Are you sure he did not have something to do with this?" Frostbite wondered. "It sounds like something he would do: unleash a powerful demon, and manipulate the situation to his advantage."

Before Clockwork could reply, Dora and Poindexter flew in, both looking very frightened. "Clockwork, they have destroyed the realm of aragon!" He exclaimed. "It won't be long until they come after us!"

"I never liked my brother, but he did not deserve such a fate." Dora added sadly, lost in grief. "What are we going to do? Danny Phantom isn't here to help us this time."

"All we can do is give Danny and Plasmius a chance." Clockwork eventually said. "They will have to work together to defeat this new threat. If they can manage it, I see a new era of cooperation."

"Can you not speak in riddles, Clockwork?" Poindexter requested. "It's the last thing we need right now."

"If you wish, I will send my forces to aid Danny and the Titans in Jump City." Frostbite offered. "I imagine they are badly in need of assistance."

"No, send me!" Vortex laughed, speaking up for the first time. "I'm far more useful than those (breath) pathetic yetis of Frostbite!"

"Enough, Vortex." Clockwork intervened before a fight could break out. "Whatever we decide, it must be quick. I am beginning to lose my powers, and it is only a matter of time before they are destroyed."

"What does that mean?" Dora inquired. "I've never heard anything like that happening to you before."

"I believe it means that Trigon's rule is spreading rapidly." Frostbite sighed. "We may have to resort to desperate measures. I don't like this, but we may not have any other choice."

"Are you mad, Frostbite?" Poindexter demanded. "Do you know what the consequences will be?"

"I agree with Frostbite." Dora spoke up. "It's the lesser of two evils. I hate the idea, but we are out of options. Our power is not sufficient to hold off Trigon."

"We cannot take such an action!" The observant warned. "Do you recall the results of our last emissary? They were slaughtered without hesitation!"

"Well, you fools had better make up your mind!" Vortex exclaimed, annoyed by the lack of action. Couldn't they see they needed to take the offensive. "I intend to destroy these (breath) annoying demons before they do the same to us, and I suggest you do the same."

"Okay, who do we know that has the ability to stand up to Trigon, and have a chance at survival?" asked Poindexter.

"Out of us, only Vortex, and even he will not be victorious." The observant replied. "My people are ready to fight, but we have no illusions about the futility. If we fall, we intend to go down fighting."

"Danny Phantom and Vlad Plasmius." Frostbite replied to Poindexter. "Both have gotten themselves out of impossible situations, but I fail to see how they will survive this time."

Ember, Johnny 13, and Kitty flew into Clockwork's tower. All three looked exhausted and wounded. Many ghosts had followed them, with similar expressions. "They're coming!" Kitty exclaimed. "They found us!"

"Good! Now they will feel the full power of (breath) Vortex!" Vortex laughed, charging up lightning in his hands.

"They'll be here in a matter of minutes!" Johnny informed them. "We don't have the strength to fight them."

"He's right." Frostbite confirmed. "I will head back to my people, and prepare them for war. All of you are welcome to join me. We are going to need all the allies we can get to survive this dark time."

"We have to hurry, dipsticks!" Ember warned. "I don't feel like being barbequed by these idiots!" They flew out, one after the other. Frostbite and Clockwork led the others, while Vortex brought up the rear in case the demons tried to attack them from behind. The third quadrant of the ghost zone was lost.

"Is there any others who would be willing to help us?" asked Dora. "Many are fleeing to the human world, thinking they will find refuge."

"They would be wrong." The observant sighed, shaking his head. "Jump City has been taken by Trigon, and it will not be long before other human cities fall as well. Danny Phantom is beyond our help now. All we can do is wish him luck."

"I suggest we go to my realm." Frostbite stated. "We are experienced fighters, and have one of the strongest armies in the ghost world."

"On the contrary, I have another idea." Clockwork smirked. "I was considering that we go to the Green City. It's the most secure place in this country. Well, the dimensional equivalent of the country; you get what I'm trying to say. It's also the only area where there is peace."

After a brief argument, they agreed to go. That is, except for Frostbite, who decided to warn his people instead. All of them knew the Green City would be besieged, but prayed they had the strength to withstand the assault. Trigon's forces were spreading fast, and none of them knew what his true power was.

None of them realized that the evil Phantom was plotting his escape.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"We can't just sit around." Cyborg complained. "Raven is counting on us. Why else would she protect us against Trigon's spell?"

"That may be true, but we can't fight right now." Maddie sighed. "I'm coming up with a plan, but it'll take time to use. Do you know of any weakness Trigon has?"

"No, I'm afraid not." Robin replied. "Raven knew far more about her father than we do."

"And you didn't bother to enquire?" Vlad demanded. "You may have just doomed us all because you figured she had a right to privacy. We knew little about Trigon, and our fight will likely be futile."

"You mean we're going to die?" Tucker asked. "No one said we were going to die!"

"It's a risk you take when you're a hero." Jazz sighed. "You will always have enemies."

"I'll find a way to take him down!" Jack promised. "There's never been a paranormal being that can stand up to Jack Fenton!"

"Yes, we cannot let Trigon destroy the world!" Starfire agreed, flying up in her excitement.

"But in terms of power, he outmatches us." Danny warned. "We need to find a way to weaken him. Mom, do you still have the spector deflector?"  
"Yes, I brought it with us." Maddie replied. "I have the Fenton Peeler, Fenton Bazooka, and the gliders."

"And we have experience on our side." Beast Boy cried out. "When we face Trigon, he better watch out!"

"But you said these things work against ghosts." Danielle stated. "Do they work against demons as well?"

"That's true; I didn't think of that." Maddie admitted.

"We can test them on his minions." Vlad suggested. "If they work, we go after him. I have the Plasmius Maximus: Version 2. It shorts out powers of both hybrids and full ghosts."

"This will be the hunt of my afterlife!" Skulker yelled gleefully, before being quieted by Fright Knight.

"We can't let Raven down." Sam insisted. "I finally found someone that I can relate to."

"With all our minds working together, we'll find a way!" Jack exclaimed. Robin nodded in agreement, a black beam firing out of his hand. "Whoa, what was that!"

"Raven must have given us some of her power." Robin realized. "This provides us with another weapon."

"After we recover, we'll go after them." Tucker smirked. "Do you have any extra copies of the Fenton Peeler?"

"Yeah, I made one for each of us!" Jack replied, handing him one. "Be careful; I wasn't able to bring spare ammunition on the plane… something about it being flammable."

"Where did your dad have the time to build so many?" Cyborg wondered, surprised at his skill.

"He's good at what he does." Danny replied. "Sure, his inventions don't always work, but he's got endless ideas. My dad builds the inventions, and my mom makes sure there are no bugs."

"Maybe your parents can help me enhance my baby." Cyborg suggested. "I'd like to see what kind of ghost-fighting abilities it would have."

"Your 'baby' is nothing but rubble, as is the rest of the tower." Robin reminded him and he groaned.

"Yes, thanks for pointing out the obvious." Vlad replied, rolling his eyes. "This discussion isn't helping us. Next time we fight Trigon, we have to have some sort of plan. We're wasting time simply sitting here."

"Perhaps the soul shredder with work on him." Fright Knight suggested.

"No, it won't do anything." Skulker growled. "You tried that when Trigon overcame Raven's mind and it didn't work. What makes you think we'll have any better luck with the real thing?"

"I have a feeling the key to victory is Raven." Danny stated. "All we have to do is find her."

"Dude, did you see what happened to her?" Tucker exclaimed. "I doubt she's even alive!"

"Daniel has a point." Vlad cut in. "He's an evil dictator and Raven is a valuable weapon. She's alive, in one form or another."

"I'm not sure about that." Sam replied. "Isn't she too much of a danger to keep around?"

"Don't talk about her like that!" Beast Boy demanded. "She was much more than a weapon. She was our friend!"

"We know, Beast Boy, but we need to know for sure." Maddie intervened. "I suggest we send a few of us to search for her."

"What about Trigon?" Jazz wondered. "I doubt he's simply going to let us."

"How about we split into two groups." Tucker asked. "The first group will search for Raven, and the second group will keep him distracted. Guys, you said you received some of Raven's power, so that should be enough to keep him occupied."

"An excellent idea, friend Tucker!" Starfire exclaimed. "Trigon will pay for what he did to friend Raven!"

"Yes, I agree with the alien!" Technus. "I, Technus, will prove that ghosts are superior to his pathetic kind."

"I volunteer to go fight Trigon." Skulker. "There's only room for one hunter, and it will be me!"

"We finally have a plan!" Jack exclaimed. "I'll go with you ghosts, but don't think I'm going to stop hunting you once this is over."

"We already know your views, mortal." Fright Knight replied sternly. "You are prejudiced, as are most of your kind."

"We have other things to worry about." Vlad cut in. "I will help find Raven. She's likely our only hope."

"It figures you'd choose the safer path, Plasmius." Danny snapped. "Ally or not, you're still a coward! Raven will be avenged, I promise you that!"

"What do we do with the agents?" Tucker pointed to the three remaining, who as of yet had said nothing. "They should be part of this too."

"The majority of us should go and distract Trigon." Masters stated in his typical monotone. "It is the most important of the two tasks, and it will not take many to find Raven."

"Wait, where's Danielle?" Sam asked. "I haven't seen her anywhere." Danielle appeared, crashing into the ground. She was bruised, but capable of fighting as Slade appeared. All of them glared with hatred.

"You're going to regret coming here." Vlad snarled, transforming into Plasmius. He blasted Slade in the torso, knocking him aside, and duplicated into 4. The Titans and Fentons were ready to attack as well.

"Wait, I've come to help!" Slade exclaimed, actually afraid. He knew he was no much for Plasmius, much less the others. "We have the same goal!"

"Why should we believe you?" Danny demanded furiously. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't blast you out of existence!"

_You're more like me than you'll ever know, Daniel. _Vlad thought. He had ever seen him this angry, even during his fights with the younger hybrid.

"Trigon betrayed me, boy, and I do not plan on serving him any longer." Slade replied, now in his usual calm voice.

"You've done enough; now leave before I destroy you." Robin snarled, grabbing his bo staff.

"You can't survive without me, Robin." Slade replied. "You see, I know where Raven resides. She's your only hope for survival."

"Yes, we know that already." Jack laughed. "Now what's your point?"

"I know her exact location, and I can take you to her." Slade declared. "However, it may not be what you want to see."

"Fine, take me there." Robin replied, glaring at him.

"No, friend Robin! This is a trap!" Starfire protested.

"I know that, but we don't have a choice." Robin whispered. "I'll be back, I promise."

"And I'm going with you." Vlad declared. "I'm quite able to handle Slade alone."

"I suggest you let me go with you." Fright Knight offered. "I promised to defend you, Vlad."

"No; the others will need you." Vlad replied. "The only one I'm taking is Danielle."

"Thanks, Daddy!" She exclaimed, hugging him from behind. Afterwards, she blasted Slade, pushing him to his knees. He was about to jump into the action, but stopped when he saw Vlad's glare. Both transformed back into their human selves.

"You might want to make your move quickly." Slade suggested. "Trigon is recovering his strength, so now would be the time to attack. Come on; we've wasted enough time on farewells." He walked off, Robin, Vlad, and Danielle following.

"I hope they can handle themselves." Tucker worried. "Huh, never thought I'd care about what happened to Vlad."

"Enough talking!" Jack exclaimed. "It's time to teach Trigon what it means to mess with the Fentons!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Phantom laughed as he saw his chance. Firing his ghostly wail yet again, he managed to shatter the barrier surrounding him. Now what to do was another question. Tempted as he was to get revenge on his younger self, considering what he had heard about Trigon, that might have to wait. So that demon had finally gotten loose. Frankly, he was surprised that the cheesehead was not responsible.

Taking his time, he systemically destroyed Clockwork's already damaged home. That being done, Phantom flew out, wondering when he would get to be part of this. Even he felt a certain kindred with ghosts, and would fight against the invaders.

A few dozen demons came flying towards Phantom, all ready to tear him up. He simply put up a shield and they impacted. It was almost comical how they fell, like dominoes. Not wasting time with witty banter, he destroyed them with a single high-powered shot.

"Let's see who else I can destroy." Phantom grinned, and flew off into the ghost zone.


End file.
